Octavio Paz: A Study of His PoeticsOctavio Paz (1914-1998), the eminent Mexican poet and critic, attempted to evaluate the neglected role of poetry in the twentieth century in terms of a liberating, semi-religious vocation. Jason Wilson, in this study, approaches Paz's poetics through his close relationship with André Breton (1896-1966), the surrealist leader. This is a 'spiritual biography' of a poet-thinker (Paz); a study of a fertile relationship (Paz and Breton); a re-evaluation of surrealism itself and, finally, a coping with those acute problems that all poets and readers of poetry must face in an age lacking an acceptable cultural tradition: why write? What is a poem? Who are the genuine poets? Who am I? Wilson analyses Paz's reaction to these related concerns in the poet's examination of 'the values of poetry' in terms of a liberating poetics. |
Contents
The Marquis de Sade surrealism | 34 |
Chapter 2 | 44 |
Chapter 3 | 81 |
Chapter 4 | 127 |
A reading of Pazs Le Singe | 149 |
A reading of Vuelta | 166 |
Postscript | 173 |
Bibliography | 185 |
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Common terms and phrases
agua analogy André Breton Arcane 17 archetype automatic writing becomes Benjamin Péret body Buddhism centre Claude Lévi-Strauss copulation critic cuerpo culture desire dream Eluard erotic experience eyes fiesta fruto Gallimard Henri Michaux Himno hombre imágenes inner instante intention L'Amour L'Amour fou language lenguaje liberation liberty light lived Luis Cernuda maithuna Mallarmé man's Marquis de Sade mental metaphor Mexican Mexico Michaux moral Mortiz mundo myth nature notion obra Octavio Paz ojos paradise Paris passion Paul Eluard Paz wrote Paz's poem Paz's poetics pensée Péret Piedra de sol poema poesía poet poet's poeta poética poetry prose poem quest reading reality reveals Rimbaud Ríos Sade Sade's Salamandra sense sentidos signos silence Singe grammairien soledad spiritual sueño surrealism surrealist symbolic T. S. Eliot Tablada Tantra thought tion touch tradition trans transparency truth unsayable vertigo vida Villaurrutia vision Vuelta woman word