Rimbaud and Verlaine will not be Pantheonized

[Karl-G]

In the last couple of years in France, there has been a movement and controversy in the literature and arts fields, about the reburial of two of France's most beloved and famous poets into the Pantheon in Paris. Of the 75 people currently buried and honored in the Pantheon, none are poets. Ten former ministers of culture and hosts of other luminaries in the literary and arts fields have pressed for this act, honoring the two men and also poetry. Yesterday, President Macron turned down their suggestion, at the request of Rimbaud's family, who do not want his body disinterred from Charleville.

 

Arthur Rimbaud (died in 1891 at age 37) and Paul Verlaine (older) were two very important and famous poets in France in the late 19th century. All Frenchmen can recite at least some lines from their poetry. They were also lovers for several years, while Rimbaud was in his teens. He was a very precocious young man. Rimbaud was publishing astonishing and very highly regarded poetry in his teens to a French reading public.

 

So there are a number of reasons why people want or do not want the honor of a Pantheon resting place for them. The French have created the word "pantheonization" for this act.

 

If you have not read Rimbaud's poetry, you might try "Le Bateau Ivre" (The Drunken Boat) or "Une Saison en Enfer" (A Season in Hell). They were founders/precursors of surrealism and symbolism and modern poetry.

[+ nycman]

I can’t imagine disinterring a body against the family‘s wishes in order to “honor” someone.

 

Oh, the French.

[liubit]

Rimbaud stopped writing at age 19-20. He was indeed a very precocious genius.

[+ Charlie]

Hypocrite lecteur, mon semblable, mon frere.

 

I love Rimbaud.

[+ Lucky]

Rimbaud stopped writing at age 19-20. He was indeed a very precocious genius.

Hypocrite lecteur, mon semblable, mon frere.

 

I love Rimbaud.

Why did he stop writing?

Why do you love him? He shorted you years of his work!

Wikipedia tells us, in part:

 

Rimbaud and Charlie, then known as Verlaine, soon began a brief and torrid affair. They led a wild, vagabond-like life spiced by absinthe, opium and hashish.[52] The Parisian literary coterie was scandalized by Rimbaud, whose behaviour was that of the archetypal enfant terrible, yet throughout this period he continued to write poems. Their stormy relationship eventually brought them to London in September 1872,[53] a period over which Rimbaud would later express regret. During this time, Verlaine abandoned his wife and infant son (both of whom he had abused in his alcoholic rages). In London they lived in considerable poverty in Bloomsbury and in Camden Town, scraping a living mostly from teaching, as well as with an allowance from Verlaine's mother.[54] Rimbaud spent his days in the Reading Room of the British Museum where "heating, lighting, pens and ink were free".[54] The relationship between the two poets grew increasingly bitter, and Verlaine abandoned Rimbaud in London to meet his wife in Brussels.

 

 

 

By the table, an 1872 painting by Henri Fantin-Latour. Verlaine is on the far left and Rimbaud is at the second to left.

 

Rimbaud was not well liked at the time, and many people thought of him as dirty and rude.[55] The artist Henri Fantin-Latour wanted to paint first division poets at the 1872 Salon, but they were not available.[56] He had to settle for Rimbaud and Verlaine, who were described as "geniuses of the tavern".[56] The painting, By the table, shows Rimbaud and Verlaine at the end of the table. Other writers, such as Albert Mérat, refused to be painted with Verlaine and Rimbaud, Mérat's reason being that he "would not be painted with pimps and thieves",[56] in reference to Verlaine and Rimbaud; in the painting, Mérat is replaced by a flower vase on the table.[56] Mérat also spread many rumours in the salons that Verlaine and Rimbaud were sleeping together; the spread of those rumours was the commencement of fall for the two poets, who were trying to build a good reputation for themselves.[56]

 

In late June 1873, Verlaine returned to Paris alone, but quickly began to mourn Rimbaud's absence. On 8 July he telegraphed Rimbaud, asking him to come to the Hotel Liège in Brussels.[57] The reunion went badly, they argued continuously, and Verlaine took refuge in heavy drinking.[57] On the morning of 10 July, Verlaine bought a revolver and ammunition.[57] About 16:00, "in a drunken rage", he fired two shots at Rimbaud, one of them wounding the 18-year-old in the left wrist.[57]

 

Rimbaud initially dismissed the wound as superficial but had it dressed at the St-Jean hospital nevertheless.[57] He did not immediately file charges, but decided to leave Brussels.[57] About 20:00, Verlaine and his mother accompanied Rimbaud to the Gare du Midi railway station.[57] On the way, by Rimbaud's account, Verlaine "behaved as if he were insane". Fearing that Verlaine, with pistol in pocket, might shoot him again, Rimbaud "ran off" and "begged a policeman to arrest him".[58] Verlaine was charged with attempted murder, then subjected to a humiliating medico-legal examination.[59] He was also interrogated about his correspondence with Rimbaud and the nature of their relationship.[59] The bullet was eventually removed on 17 July and Rimbaud withdrew his complaint. The charges were reduced to wounding with a firearm, and on 8 August 1873 Verlaine was sentenced to two years in prison.[59]

 

Rimbaud returned home -to Charlieville- and completed his prose work Une Saison en Enfer ("A Season in Hell")—still widely regarded as a pioneering example of modern Symbolist writing. In the work it is widely interpreted that he refers to Verlaine as his "pitiful brother" (frère pitoyable) and the "mad virgin" (vierge folle), and to himself as the "hellish husband" (l'époux infernal), and described their life together as a "domestic farce" (drôle de ménage).

[liubit]

Thanks for sharing, @Lucky, Rimbaud was indeed a tormented and very controversial individual. What I wanted to point out by saying that he stopped writing at age 19-20 is that he produced all of his remarkable and pioneering work at a very young age. One can only wonder how his poetry would have matured.

[+ newatthis]

Hypocrite lecteur, mon semblable, mon frere.

 

I love Rimbaud.

I'm sure you know Baudelaire wrote that... Later quoted by Eliot.

[+ Lucky]

I'm sure you know Baudelaire wrote that... Later quoted by Eliot.

@newatthis You know stuff like that? I am impressed!

[+ newatthis]

@newatthis You know stuff like that? I am impressed!

?

[rvwnsd]

...Rimbaud was not well liked at the time, and many people thought of him as dirty and rude....

In the last couple of years in France, there has been a movement and controversy in the literature and arts fields, about the reburial of two of France's most beloved and famous poets into the Pantheon in Paris....

Apparently, absinthe, er...absence, does make the heart grow fonder.

[+ Charlie]

I'm sure you know Baudelaire wrote that... Later quoted by Eliot.

Well. it has been a long time since I read Baudelaire and Rimbaud, and my memory is not what it used to be.

[Rod Hagen]

The Leonardo Di Caprio movie about Rimbaud is bad but fun to watch. After Titanic was released it was impossible to find in videoStores. I don't know if that's because customers stole it or if the Studio hired people to steal them. Anyway, it's worth watching.

[+ WilliamM]

@newatthis You know stuff like that? I am impressed!

 

During covid19, universities are offering on line courses on literature, including Euro poets.

[+ FreshFluff]

Well. it has been a long time since I read Baudelaire and Rimbaud, and my memory is not what it used to be.

 

All I remember from AP French lit is that Rimbaud’s poems are naughty.