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Underground > Books, Criticism & Writing >

Guillaume Apollinaire

00:25 / 11.10.05

Warning: this opening post might reveal shocking ignorance as to the actual topic.

So, working on an history assignment on a chosen artist of significance in the period of the 1900s-1940s, I went with Guillaume Apollinaire, and pretty much having had to analyze a piece of his work - specifically, The Poets' Napkin, or whatever the correct English title would be, as I only found it in (Brazilian) Portuguese - I've been pleasantly surprised.

For those not following the Wiki link who might not be familiar (God, who knows, maybe some are as poor of soul as I), Apollinaire is, essentially, one of the first main surrealist writers and one of the most important figures in this movement. And well, I rather liked that small piece I read.

The point being that, not having found anything online to entertain myself with of his, I'd like to know if there are any Lithers around familiar with his work who'd care to make a reccomendation or two, since I'm by now pretty much in the mood for hunting down some stuff of his and would like to know what, well, is, y'know, good.

Any tips at all, good people?

12:49 / 11.10.05

I am surprised how little there is on such a great figure-- such a prolific writer-- and someone whose death was long enough ago that his writings should no longer be in copyright! The internet is usually faster on such matters, but I find that nonetheless the Gutenberg project has some of his poetry, as does his supposedly official site. Both of those are in French. You should also try Ubuweb, which has some odds and ends. Most of this remains in its original French-- not sure if that is a problem.

The saddest story about Apollinaire, who fitted in a brief career as a war hero amongst other things and was a great patriot to his adopted home, France, was when he died at the end of the First World War. Still recovering from wounds, he was in bed and supposedly overheard the crowds outdoors chanting, 'A bas, Guillaume', celebrating the fall of Kaiser Wilhelm. Apollinaire died thinking they were shouting about him...

17:46 / 12.10.05

Most of this remains in its original French-- not sure if that is a problem.

Well, yeah, hence me reading the one I did read in Portuguese; my French has gradually come down from little but okayish to nothing (hence me going for the first thing I found in Portuguese, though I did google for an English version... I'm currently not sure why).

Any specific works (published) that you or, for that matter, anyone would reccomend?

17:48 / 12.10.05

(And, yes, I'm crap at spitting properly built sentences at most times, it seems. Gahah. Shh.)

sdv (non-human)

17:28 / 16.10.05

Apollinaire - bliss...

'Zone' whether in the Sam Beckett translation or the Oliver bernard translation ---- wonderful.. (in Apollinaire selected poems anvil press - used to be a penguin). one of the great early 20th c poems.

I also have a soft spot for the prose work 'The Poet Assassinated' - which many years ago I once saw performed as a play at the Aldwych. Weird and wonderful. The text may be available from Carcanet still. (if not it should be).

Try Abebooks.co.uk for copies.

'in the end you are tired of that world of antiquity...'

sdv (non-human)

17:32 / 16.10.05

And I forgot to say...

Apollinaire was born in Rome in 1880, the illegitmate son of Mlle Olga de Kostrowitzky (a polish adventress) and Francesco Flugi d'aspermont...

Laughs. a Polish adventress no less....

17:34 / 23.12.05

Sorry,

would just like to give thanks for the suggestions made. They will be noted.

(I suppose this is when this thread dies.)