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
Guillaume ApollinaireGuillaume Apollinaire
Poetry as a Poetry as a visual visual experience:experience:*figure & ground: the perception of dark figur*figure & ground: the perception of dark figur
es arranged on a light surface (or vice verses arranged on a light surface (or vice versa)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)
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
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
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
What are “Calligrammes”?What are “Calligrammes”?Visual poetry / spatial poetryVisual poetry / spatial poetry
Derived from TWO techniques –Derived from TWO techniques –FragmentationFragmentationRecombination Recombination (of fragments)(of fragments)(in his conversation poems)(in his conversation poems)
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
What are “Calligrammes”?What are “Calligrammes”?Fragmentation / RecombinationFragmentation / Recombination
Simultaneous nature of consciousnessSimultaneous nature of consciousness (abandoning)(abandoning)Discursive expressionDiscursive expressionLinear layout of poemLinear layout of poem
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
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 beco
me accustomed to understanding me accustomed to understanding synthsynthetico-ideographicallyetico-ideographically instead of instead of analyticanalytico-discursivelyo-discursively.” (G. Arbouin).” (G. Arbouin)
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
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 ord
er 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)
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
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(Th
e Tie and the Watch), e Tie and the Watch), Il Pleut Il Pleut (It’s Raining)(It’s Raining)
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
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)
Guillaume Apollinaire: poetryGuillaume Apollinaire: poetry
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)
Guillaume ApollinaireGuillaume Apollinaire
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-linear 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