The Name Of The Poet

Onomastics and Anonymity in the Works of Stéphane Mallarmé

By (author) Michael Temple

Publication date:

01 November 1995

Length of book:

208 pages

Publisher

University of Exeter Press

Dimensions:

234x148mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9780859894319

An examination of the use of names and the art of naming in the works of Stéphane Mallarmé. Maintaining an independent critical, and self-critical, approach, the author elaborates a 'theory of the name' from within the Mallarmean text, rather than through the application of an external theory. The work provides the reader with new ways of thinking about Mallarmé's 'development' and about poetry's attempt to break out of an embattled position in the last decades of the nineteenth century.

Acknowledgements and Note on Abbreviations, vii; 1 Introduction, 1; 1.1 The Name and the Author, 1; 1.2 Voyage en Cratylie, 5; 1.3 A brief history and outline of the project, 9; 1.4 'Pres d'un siecle de lecture maintenant', 12; 2 Does Stephane Mallarme have a theory of the Name?, 19; 2.1 Looking for theory in theory, 19; 2.2 At the source of theory, 26; 2.3 Working theory, 50. 3 What is - Stephane Mallarme?, 63; 3.1 'un semis de fioritures', 64; 3.2 Paraph: 'Monsieur S.M., 29 rue de Moscou', 67; 3.3 Renown: Making a name for yourself, 80; 3.4 Phainein: 'Comme dans la glace on s'y mire', 92; 3.5 Sublime: 'l'attention que sollicite quelque papillon blanc', 103; 4 Writing your name into History, 113; 4.1 Poe, 114; 4.2 Wagner, 126; 4.3 Baudelaire, 139; 5 Conclusion, 151; Notes, 159; List of works consulted, 185; Index, 197.

"Much of the pleasure in this book lies in Temple's convivial imitation of Mallarmé's theoretical teasing . . ." (Modern Language Review)