Guillaume Apollinaire On poetry and ergodic literature.

Guillaume ApollinaireGuillaume ApollinaireOn poetry and ergodic literatureOn poetry and ergodic literature

Guillaume ApollinaireGuillaume Apollinaire

““Poetry as usually read today, silently Poetry as usually read today, silently and from a monotonously printed text, and from a monotonously printed text, fails to exploit its fails to exploit its two principal two principal sensuous aspectssensuous aspects””

**shapeshape

*sound*sound


Poetry as a Poetry as a visual visual experience:experience:

*figure & ground: the perception of dark figur*figure & ground: the perception of dark figures arranged on a light surface (or vice verses arranged on a light surface (or vice vers

a)a)

-- type size, paragraphing, run-down patter-- type size, paragraphing, run-down pattern, generic forms etc.n, generic forms etc.

organization thought via visual arrangeorganization thought via visual arrangement (ment (spatializationspatialization of text) of text)

Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry

Efforts to make a poem a distinct visual objeEfforts to make a poem a distinct visual object…ct…

Some methods:Some methods:

Principle of the ideogramPrinciple of the ideogram[a written sign that represents [a written sign that represents an idea or thingan idea or thing rather tha rather than the sound of a word]n the sound of a word]

Calligrammes (visual + verbal composition)Calligrammes (visual + verbal composition)


What are “Calligrammes”?What are “Calligrammes”?

Plastic arrangement of words on writing sPlastic arrangement of words on writing surfacesurfaces

““visual lyricism”visual lyricism”

Visual poetry / spatial poetryVisual poetry / spatial poetry


What are “Calligrammes”?What are “Calligrammes”?Visual poetry / spatial poetryVisual poetry / spatial poetry

Derived from TWO techniques –Derived from TWO techniques –

FragmentationFragmentation

Recombination Recombination (of fragments)(of fragments)

(in his conversation poems)(in his conversation poems)


What are “Calligrammes”?What are “Calligrammes”?Fragmentation / RecombinationFragmentation / Recombination

Simultaneous nature of consciousnessSimultaneous nature of consciousness

(abandoning)(abandoning)

Discursive expressionDiscursive expression

Linear layout of poemLinear layout of poem


What are “Calligrammes”?What are “Calligrammes”?Fragmentation / RecombinationFragmentation / Recombination

Typographical revolution –Typographical revolution –

““It is necessary that our intelligence becoIt is necessary that our intelligence become accustomed to understanding me accustomed to understanding synthsynthetico-ideographicallyetico-ideographically instead of instead of analyticanalytico-discursivelyo-discursively.” (G. Arbouin).” (G. Arbouin)


Three different fashions in the plastic arrangThree different fashions in the plastic arrangement of words (Calligrammes):ement of words (Calligrammes):

(1) to represent the objects being described(1) to represent the objects being described

(2) to represent a total conception of the ord(2) to represent a total conception of the order of the world or of the universeer of the world or of the universe

(3) to express a movement of thought within (3) to express a movement of thought within the poem the poem (writing for the eye)(writing for the eye)


To represent the objects To represent the objects being describedbeing described

e.g. e.g. PaysagePaysage (Landscape (Landscape),),

La Cravate et la Montre La Cravate et la Montre (Th(The Tie and the Watch), e Tie and the Watch),

Il Pleut Il Pleut (It’s Raining)(It’s Raining)


To represent a total conTo represent a total conception of the order of ception of the order of the world or of the unithe world or of the universeverse

e.g. e.g. Lettre-OcLettre-Océéan an (Ocea(Ocean Letter)n Letter)


To express a movement To express a movement of thought within the pof thought within the poem oem (writing for the (writing for the eye):eye):

e.g. e.g. VisViséée e (Aim)(Aim)


Poetry as an aurPoetry as an aural al experience:experience:

Sound of the words in Sound of the words in combinationcombination

Apollinaire: Apollinaire: Poetry as an aurPoetry as an aural al experienceexperience

::Sound of the words in combination: 2 methodsSound of the words in combination: 2 methods

(1) To write while humming a tune to w(1) To write while humming a tune to whose rhythm he could fit wordshose rhythm he could fit words

[to upkeep meter-consciousness][to upkeep meter-consciousness]

(2) “Poemes conversations”(2) “Poemes conversations”[combining at random the odd sentences and phrases that [combining at random the odd sentences and phrases that

occurred to him or that he overheard]occurred to him or that he overheard]

Poetry as an aurPoetry as an aural al experienceexperience

Sound of the words in combinationSound of the words in combination

Pure sound: Pure sound:

Exploration of vowel qualities, Exploration of vowel qualities, alliteration, rhymes etc.alliteration, rhymes etc.

e.g. e.g. “Voyage “Voyage àà Paris” (Voyage to Paris) Paris” (Voyage to Paris)

Guillaume Apollinaire’s Guillaume Apollinaire’s CalligrammCalligrammeses

Espen J. Clarseth cites Apollinaire’s non-lineEspen J. Clarseth cites Apollinaire’s non-line

ar texts in “calligrammes” as examples ofar texts in “calligrammes” as examples of

ergodic literatureergodic literature

which also characterizes which also characterizes

the the cybertextual cybertextual processprocessSee his book, See his book, Cybertext Perspectives on Ergodic LiteratureCybertext Perspectives on Ergodic Literature

Guillaume Apollinaire On poetry and ergodic literature.

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