Hubert Aquin
Encyclopedia
Hubert Aquin was a novelist, political activist
, essayist, filmmaker and editor
.
Aquin graduated from the Université de Montréal
in 1951. From 1951 to 1954, he studied at the Institut d'études politiques
in Paris
. On his return to Montreal worked for Radio-Canada
from 1955 until 1959.
From 1960 to 1968, Aquin was active in the movement for Quebec independence
. He was an executive member of the first independentist political party, the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
(1960–1969). In 1964, he announced that he was going "underground" to work for independence through terrorism
; he was arrested shortly thereafter and detained for four months in a psychiatric hospital
. It was there that he wrote his first novel, Prochain épisode
(1965), the story of an imprisoned revolutionary. In December 1964, he was acquitted of illegal possession of a firearm.
Regarded as a classic of Canadian literature, Aquin's novel Next Episode (the English
translation of Prochain épisode by Sheila Fischman
), was chosen for the 2003 edition of CBC Radio
's Canada Reads
competition, where it was championed by journalist
Denise Bombardier
. It was the winning title. An earlier English translation by Penny Williams, keeping the French
title, was published in 1967.
The self-destructive thoughts of the novel's narrator foreshadow Aquin's own death: On 15 March 1977, Aquin shot himself in the head. He left a suicide note claiming his death was a free and positive choice, stating, "I have lived intensely, and now it is over." A fuller understanding of Aquin's intense life can be gained from Jacques Godbout
's biographical documentary, Deux épisodes dans la vie d'Hubert Aquin (1979) and from HA!: A Self-Murder Mystery (2003), an experiment in biography by Aquin's friend Gordon Sheppard.
(UQAM) named its main humanities
building in his honour. Because he has been the first director of the Département d'Études littéraires in 1969 and professor, but also because of his important novels and radiodramas.
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
, essayist, filmmaker and editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
.
Aquin graduated from the Université de Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
in 1951. From 1951 to 1954, he studied at the Institut d'études politiques
Institut d'études politiques
Instituts d'études politiques , or IEPs, are nine publicly owned institutions of higher learning in France. They are located in Aix-en-Provence, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Paris, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse , and their vocation is the study and research of contemporary political science...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. On his return to Montreal worked for Radio-Canada
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
from 1955 until 1959.
From 1960 to 1968, Aquin was active in the movement for Quebec independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
. He was an executive member of the first independentist political party, the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale
The Rassemblement pour l'Indépendance Nationale was a political organization dedicated to the promotion of Quebec national independence from Canada.-History:...
(1960–1969). In 1964, he announced that he was going "underground" to work for independence through terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
; he was arrested shortly thereafter and detained for four months in a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
. It was there that he wrote his first novel, Prochain épisode
Prochain épisode
Prochain épisode is Hubert Aquin's first novel, published in French in 1965.-Plot summary:The narrator, like Aquin himself, turns his adventures into a spy thriller to while away the time he is forced to spend in the psychiatric ward of a Montreal prison, where he is awaiting a trial for an...
(1965), the story of an imprisoned revolutionary. In December 1964, he was acquitted of illegal possession of a firearm.
Regarded as a classic of Canadian literature, Aquin's novel Next Episode (the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translation of Prochain épisode by Sheila Fischman
Sheila Fischman
Sheila Leah Fischman, CM is a Canadian translator who specializes in the translation of works of contemporary Quebec literature....
), was chosen for the 2003 edition of CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
's Canada Reads
Canada Reads
Canada Reads is an annual "battle of the books" competition organized and broadcast by Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC.-Overview:During Canada Reads, five personalities champion five different books, each champion extolling the merits of one of the titles. The debate is broadcast over a series...
competition, where it was championed by journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Denise Bombardier
Denise Bombardier
Denise Bombardier, CQ is an esteemed yet controversial journalist, novelist, essayist, producer, and media personality who worked for the French-language television station Radio Canada for over 30 years....
. It was the winning title. An earlier English translation by Penny Williams, keeping the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
title, was published in 1967.
The self-destructive thoughts of the novel's narrator foreshadow Aquin's own death: On 15 March 1977, Aquin shot himself in the head. He left a suicide note claiming his death was a free and positive choice, stating, "I have lived intensely, and now it is over." A fuller understanding of Aquin's intense life can be gained from Jacques Godbout
Jacques Godbout
Jacques Godbout, CQ is a Canadian novelist, essayist, children's writer, journalist, filmmaker and poet. By his own admission a bit of a dabbler , Godbout has become one of the most important writers of his generation, with a major influence on post-1960 Quebec intellectual life.-Biography:Born in...
's biographical documentary, Deux épisodes dans la vie d'Hubert Aquin (1979) and from HA!: A Self-Murder Mystery (2003), an experiment in biography by Aquin's friend Gordon Sheppard.
Recognition
The Université du Québec à MontréalUniversité du Québec à Montréal
The Université du Québec à Montréal is one of four universities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Basic facts:The UQAM is the largest constituent element of the Université du Québec , a public university system with other branches in Gatineau , Rimouski, Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec City, Chicoutimi, and...
(UQAM) named its main humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
building in his honour. Because he has been the first director of the Département d'Études littéraires in 1969 and professor, but also because of his important novels and radiodramas.
Filmography
- À St-Henri le cinq septembre — 1962
Further reading
- Sheppard, Gordon, HA! A Self-Murder Mystery. (2003) Experimental biography centred on the suicide of Aquin and other notable suicides in literary history.
- Smart, Patricia, Hubert Aquin agent double, (1973).
- Legris, Renée, "Hubert Aquin et la radio. Une quête d'écriture (1954-1977)", Médiaspaul, (2004).
- Palumbo, Filippo, Hubert Aquin et la Gnose, Ph.D., Universite de Montreal (Canada), 2011, 349 pp., AAT NR74925; https://papyrus.bib.umontreal.ca/jspui/bitstream/1866/4817/2/Palumbo_Filippo_2010_these.pdf.