Paul Verlaine

En faisant para tre Jadis et nagu re la fin de 1884, Verlaine offre aux lecteurs un ensemble de po mes parfois vieux de quinze ans, auxquels s'ajoutent une pi ce de th tre et quelques textes r cents. Loin d' tre un simple floril ge, ce volume original couvre pr s de deux d cennies d'activit et claire bien des gards ses recueils pr c dents, qu'il compl te et d passe. Si Verlaine s' tait montr autrefois limit par ses sujets et ses tabous, Jadis et nagu re offre des th mes et des formes jusque-l r serv s qui appellent d sormais une reconnaissance: la franchise s'impose, la po sie et la langue se lib rent. L' Art po tique, publi pour la premi re fois dans ce recueil, contribuera faire de Verlaine un des ma tres du mouvement symboliste.

French poet Paul Verlaine was a major representative of the symbolist movement during the latter half of the 19th century. Norman Shapiro's translations seek to display Verlaine's ability to transform into verse the essence of everyday life and make evident the reasons for his renown in France and throughout the Western world. This selection provides the reader with a cross-section of Verlaine's repertoire. Shapiro has included a number of the poet's early works, showing him at his most capricious and lyrical; many poems from his middle period, which reflect his on-again, off-again conversion to Catholicism after his tumultuous relationship with Arthur Rimbaud; and poems from his late period, when he fell prey to poverty, dissipation, and disease. These later poems, rarely anthologized, and for the most part little known, mark an important shift in Verlaine's style and exhibit the biting wit and deep sincerity that characterize this entire collection. Biographical introductions and notes help explain the circumstances that gave rise to Verlaine's work. By spanning the poet's entire life work, Shapiro presents to scholars, students, and general readers of poetry the full range of Verlaine's achievement.

R impression inchang e de l' dition originale de 1869. La maison d' dition Antigonos est sp cialis e dans la publication de r impressions de livres historiques. Nous veillons ce que ces ouvrages soient mis la disposition du public dans de bonnes conditions afin de pr server leur patrimoine culturel.