Apollinaire, Salome and the Dance of Death

Abstract

In 1905, Guillaume Apollinaire published a poem in Vers et Prose entitled 'Salome', which was later included in Alcools. Celebrated by the Symbolists and the Decadents, Salome had become an extremely popular character by this date, and most of the aesthetic options had already been explored. Instead of writing a pastiche, Apollinaire decided to compose a revolutionary new poem, one that would make the literary world sit up and take notice. Inspired perhaps by a medieval painting, he situated the drama in the French royal court during the Middle Ages. In addition, he decided that it would take place on Midsummer Night, a time long associated with madness and the eve of John the Baptist's feast day. Thirdly, he painted a sympathetic picture of Salome who, having loved John, was driven mad by his death (at her own hand). Finally, by employing a dramatic monologue, he created an intimate psychological portrait of Salome. The apparently nonsensical ending, in which the royal party dances around John's grave, is shown to be indebted to two folkloric sources: children's rhymes and Midsummer fires.