Marcel Raymond
Encyclopedia
Marcel Raymond was a Swiss
literary critic
who specialized in French literature
. He is generally grouped with the so-called "Geneva School
".
in Paris under the scholars Henri Chamard (a specialist in La Pléiade
) and Abel Lefranc
. He received his doctorate in 1927 with a dissertation on the influence of Pierre de Ronsard
on French poetry
(1550–1585); published shortly after, the work has become a classic (it was republished in 1965). Raymond's subsequent study of French poetry from the end of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth – De Baudelaire au surréalisme
(1933) – brought him universal critical praise. In it he developed the idea that poetry is a fully engaged act and that a poem should be appreciated as an organic production that requires an intimate act of reading.
Raymond taught at the University of Leipzig
, at the University of Basel
and, in 1936, succeeded Albert Thibaudet
at the University of Geneva
, where he would stay until his retirement in 1962. At Geneva, he became friends with Georges Poulet and Albert Béguin, and along with Jean Starobinski
and Jean Rousset
they formed the core of what would come to be called the Geneva School
of literary criticism.
During the Second World War, Raymond lost his father and several friends (including Benjamin Crémieux who died in a concentration camp), but he poured himself into essays, critical editions and anthologies on Montesquieu, Agrippa d'Aubigné
, Victor Hugo
and Paul Valéry
. After the war, this work continued on Pierre Bayle
, Pierre de Ronsard
, Arthur Rimbaud
, Paul Verlaine
, Senancour, Baudelaire, etc. But the majority of his post-war work was focused on Jean-Jacques Rousseau
, and he was asked to participate with Bernard Gagnebin on the critical edition of Rousseau's works for the Bibliothèque de la Pléiade
. His 1955 book, Baroque et renaissance poétique would complete his work on 16th and 17th century poetry.
In 1962 he retired from teaching. His wife died in 1963. His later work comprises both poetry (Poèmes pour l'absente dedicated to his wife), autobiographical works (Le Sel et la cendre, Souvenirs d'un enfant sage), fragments of a diary (Le Trouble et la présence, Écrit au crépuscule), philosophical reflection (Par-delà les eaux sombres), literary theory (Vérité et poésie, Être et dire) and studies on Senancour, Fénelon and Jacques Rivière
.
In all of his work on French poetry and on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the fundamental principle of Raymond's approach was a focus on the ways literature comes out of a contemplative discovery of the self within the world.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
literary critic
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
who specialized in French literature
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
. He is generally grouped with the so-called "Geneva School
Geneva School
The expression Geneva School refers to a group of linguists based in Geneva who pioneered modern structural linguistics and a group of literary theorists and critics working from a phenomenological perspective.-Geneva School of Linguistics:...
".
Biography
Marcel Raymond first studied in Geneva, and then moved to France to study at the SorbonneSorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in Paris under the scholars Henri Chamard (a specialist in La Pléiade
La Pléiade
The Pléiade is the name given to a group of 16th-century French Renaissance poets whose principal members were Pierre de Ronsard, Joachim du Bellay and Jean-Antoine de Baïf. The name was a reference to another literary group, the original Alexandrian Pleiad of seven Alexandrian poets and...
) and Abel Lefranc
Abel Lefranc
Maurice Jules Abel Lefranc , was a historian of French literature, expert on Rabelais, and the principal advocate of the Derbyite theory of Shakespeare authorship.-Early life:Lefranc was born in Élincourt-Sainte-Marguerite...
. He received his doctorate in 1927 with a dissertation on the influence of Pierre de Ronsard
Pierre de Ronsard
Pierre de Ronsard was a French poet and "prince of poets" .-Early life:...
on French poetry
French poetry
French poetry is a category of French literature. It may include Francophone poetry composed outside France and poetry written in other languages of France.-French prosody and poetics:...
(1550–1585); published shortly after, the work has become a classic (it was republished in 1965). Raymond's subsequent study of French poetry from the end of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth – De Baudelaire au surréalisme
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
(1933) – brought him universal critical praise. In it he developed the idea that poetry is a fully engaged act and that a poem should be appreciated as an organic production that requires an intimate act of reading.
Raymond taught at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
, at the University of Basel
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
and, in 1936, succeeded Albert Thibaudet
Albert Thibaudet
Albert Thibaudet was a French essayist and literary critic. A former student of Henri Bergson, he was a professor of Jean Rousset...
at the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
, where he would stay until his retirement in 1962. At Geneva, he became friends with Georges Poulet and Albert Béguin, and along with Jean Starobinski
Jean Starobinski
Jean Starobinski is a Swiss literary critic.-Biography:Jean Starobinski studied classical literature, and then medicine at the University of Geneva, and graduated from that school with a doctorate in letters and in medicine...
and Jean Rousset
Jean Rousset
Jean Rousset was a Swiss literary critic who worked on French literature, and in particular on Baroque literature of the late Renaissance and early seventeenth century. He is sometimes grouped with the Geneva School and with early Structuralism.-Biography:Jean Rousset began his studies in law,...
they formed the core of what would come to be called the Geneva School
Geneva School
The expression Geneva School refers to a group of linguists based in Geneva who pioneered modern structural linguistics and a group of literary theorists and critics working from a phenomenological perspective.-Geneva School of Linguistics:...
of literary criticism.
During the Second World War, Raymond lost his father and several friends (including Benjamin Crémieux who died in a concentration camp), but he poured himself into essays, critical editions and anthologies on Montesquieu, Agrippa d'Aubigné
Agrippa d'Aubigné
Théodore-Agrippa d'Aubigné was a French poet, soldier, propagandist and chronicler. His epic poem Les Tragiques is widely regarded as his masterpiece.-Life:...
, Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
and Paul Valéry
Paul Valéry
Ambroise-Paul-Toussaint-Jules Valéry was a French poet, essayist, and philosopher. His interests were sufficiently broad that he can be classified as a polymath...
. After the war, this work continued on Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle
Pierre Bayle was a French philosopher and writer best known for his seminal work the Historical and Critical Dictionary, published beginning in 1695....
, Pierre de Ronsard
Pierre de Ronsard
Pierre de Ronsard was a French poet and "prince of poets" .-Early life:...
, Arthur Rimbaud
Arthur Rimbaud
Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud was a French poet. Born in Charleville, Ardennes, he produced his best known works while still in his late teens—Victor Hugo described him at the time as "an infant Shakespeare"—and he gave up creative writing altogether before the age of 21. As part of the decadent...
, Paul Verlaine
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.-Early life:...
, Senancour, Baudelaire, etc. But the majority of his post-war work was focused on Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
, and he was asked to participate with Bernard Gagnebin on the critical edition of Rousseau's works for the Bibliothèque de la Pléiade
Bibliothèque de la Pléiade
The Bibliothèque de la Pléiade is a French series of books which was created in the 1930s by Jacques Schiffrin, an independent young editor. . Schiffrin wanted to provide the public with reference editions of the complete works of classic authors in a pocket format...
. His 1955 book, Baroque et renaissance poétique would complete his work on 16th and 17th century poetry.
In 1962 he retired from teaching. His wife died in 1963. His later work comprises both poetry (Poèmes pour l'absente dedicated to his wife), autobiographical works (Le Sel et la cendre, Souvenirs d'un enfant sage), fragments of a diary (Le Trouble et la présence, Écrit au crépuscule), philosophical reflection (Par-delà les eaux sombres), literary theory (Vérité et poésie, Être et dire) and studies on Senancour, Fénelon and Jacques Rivière
Jacques Rivière
Jacques Rivière was a French "man of letters". He edited La Nouvelle Revue Française from 1919 until his death...
.
In all of his work on French poetry and on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the fundamental principle of Raymond's approach was a focus on the ways literature comes out of a contemplative discovery of the self within the world.
Works
- 1928 - Ronsard's influence on French poetry (1550-1585) (republished 1965)
- 1933 - De Baudelaire au surréalisme (republished 1940)
- 1942 - Génies de France (anthology)
- 1945 - Paul Valéry et la tentation de l'esprit (essay) (reedited 1964)
- 1948 - Le Sens de la qualité
- 1952 - Anthologie de la nouvelle française (anthology)
- 1955 - Baroque et renaissance poétique
- 1964 - Vérité et poésie
- 1968 - with J.A. Steele, La poésie française et le maniérisme, 1546-1610 (anthology)
- 1970 - Être et dire
- 1970 - Le Sel et la cendre (autobiographical
- 1971 - Mémorial José Corti
- Correspondence with Georges Poulet (1950–1977)
- 1975 - Par-delà les eaux sombres
- 1976 - Souvenirs d'un enfant sage (autobiographical)
- 1977 - Le Trouble et la présence
- 1980 - Écrit au crépuscule
External links
- Marcel Raymond on the Académie royale de langue et de littérature françaises of BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(in French)