Reading Literary and Visual Cultures in French: poems and prose-poems of

Arthur Rimbaud.

You will find links to individual poems and prose-poems at

http://www.mag4.net/Rimbaud/Poesie.html
and should explore them broadly, but concentrating particularly on items in the
collections Posies, Derniers vers and Illuminations. Some key poems,
representing the most recurrent themes and techniques are listed below. Explore
the Glossary of terms used in the analysis of poetry, within the Blackboard site.
Try to identify in your reading of Rimbaud (in addition to the examples given in
the glossary) instances of metaphor, simile, personification, apostrophe,
synaesthesia, accumulation and alliteration/assonance, all of which are
particularly important to his poetic effectiveness (both in formal verse poems
and in his strikingly original prose poems) - and remember that you do not get
much credit simply for labelling these effects, but need to bring out how they
contribute to the emotional and intellectual impact of the poem. As you read the
prose poems in the collection Illuminations consider how you would define the
difference between a prose poem and poetic prose.
Our focus throughout will be on Rimbauds originality as a poet, rather than on
his wayward lifestyle and biography, but you would learn something about the
historical and artistic context from Agnieszka Hollands film Total Eclipse
(Leonardo Di Caprio as Rimbaud) which can be viewed in the Multi-media Centre.
The stage play by Christopher Hampton on which the film is based, is also
available in the Arts Library.
Suggested list of poems recommended for close study:
Verse poetry (Posies and Derniers vers)
Au Cabaret-vert
Bonne pense du matin
Chanson de la plus haute tour
Est-elle alme ?
Honte
Lclatante victoire de Sarrebruck
LEternit*
La maline
Larme
Le bateau ivre
Le buffet
Le dormeur du val
Ma bohme
Ophlie
Vnus Anadyomne*
Voyelles
Illuminations

Aube
Being Beauteous
Bottom
Conte
Gnie*
H
Matine divresse*
Mtropolitain
Nocturne vulgaire
Parade
Ville
Villes (Ce sont des villes!)
*These four texts are set for the assessed commentary for 2014-15 so will not be
studied in the seminars.