Arthur Rimbaud , Steve Murphy (review)

Abstract

MLRy ioo.i, 2005 215 Arthur Rimbaud, (Euvres completes, vol. iv: Facsimiles. By Steve Murphy. Paris: Champion. 2002. iv + 694pp. ?140. ISBN 2-7453-072-5. With this volume we have another impressive achievement by Steve Murphy in the field of Rimbaldian scholarship. At the heart of this work lie nearly four hundred pages of photographs of Rimbaud's manuscripts, and the very act of compiling such a collection of facsimiles represents a major event and an undertaking of valuable assistance to all working on the poet. Of course, Murphy does not leave it at that?his volume prefaces the anthology of facsimiles with a lengthy exposition on Rimbaud's manuscripts. He discusses what has been lost, preserved, and reproduced and, with the fastidiousness of the true detective, takes us through the contribution made by such as Verlaine, Demeny, and Izambard to the current state of Rimbaud's papers. One has the sense ofbeing present at the putting together of an immense jigsaw puzzle and, while many of the pieces may be missing, Murphy with admirable persistence and judgement manages to assemble for us some kind of overall picture. If one were to identify the underlying purpose of this work, it would be in Murphy's own words 'pour que le manuscrit redevienne une preoccupation centrale des etudes rimbaldiennes ' aftera period in which attention has been paid to close readings and interpre? tations ofthe texts. Much of Murphy's work in this sphere will recall forthe Rimbaud scholar the effortsof Henry de Bouillane de Lacoste?another 'horrible travailleur' who is mentioned often here and whose work on the dating of the Illuminations was to become a landmark in Rimbaud studies. Like Lacoste, Murphy lays much emphasis on graphology as a guide to verification and authenticity as well as to the possible dat? ing of texts. Often he has to recognize that much remains a subject of conjecture and speculation, and he makes a call to other collectors and enthusiasts to join with him in a collaborative efforttowards 'un travail de verification, d'amelioration progres? sive des editions'. Central to his endeavours is the distinction between 'autographes' and 'allographes', between Rimbaud's own writing of a manuscript and manuscripts written in other hands. Murphy scrupulously examines the evidence, distinguishing between the handwriting of Rimbaud, Verlaine, and others. Completing the volume is an extensive series of notes relating to each facsimile, and this is a priceless 'outil de recherche' for the Rimbaud scholar since he/she can find here information on a par? ticular text in terms of dating, firstproduction, best reproduction, firstpublication, and so on. In pay ing tribute to this superb volume, one should add that it takes its place in a series of which Part 1appeared in 1999. The overall enterprise represents a Herculean efforttruly in keeping with the 'work ethic' of the 'Lettre du voyant' and one which is already transforming the context for future studies of Rimbaud. University of Ulster Gerald Macklin Etudessur les 'Illuminations'de Rimbaud. By Sergio Sacchi. Ed. by Olivier Bivort, Andre Guy aux, and Mario Matucci. Paris: Presses de PUniversite de ParisSorbonne . 2002. vi +266 pp. ?29. ISBN 2-84050-247-x. In this anthology of Sergio Sacchi's writing on the Illuminations, Olivier Bivort, Andre Guyaux, and Mario Matucci have compiled a work of considerable interest to Rimbaud specialists. Sacchi devoted the bulk of his life as a scholar to research into Rimbaud's work and over a fifteen-yearperiod produced a series of insightful articles that principally focus on Rimbaud's prose poetry. This volume is composed of three general papers?'Trouver une langue', 'Voici le temps des exegetes', 'Hermetisme, onirisme, aura mythique'?and twelve studies each devoted to an individual piece from the Illuminations. The volume is supplemented with an excellent list of critical ...