Charles Sanders Peirce and Eugen Gomringer: The Concrete Poem as a Sign

Abstract

Throughout his manifestoes and theoretical writings, Eugen Gomringer, founder of European concrete poetry movement, emphasizes character (zeichencharakter) of concrete poem, referring to poems themselves as schemes (schemata von zeichen) or systems (systeme) (GWKD:286).' But there is no evidence that he ever made a systematic study of semiotics. Implied throughout his statements, though, is a semiotic theory of poem that needs only to be articulated, and at some points clarified and corrected, to make evident striking parallels with theory of signs of Charles Sanders Peirce. Gomringer himself suggests that contemporary poet might well investigate new discipline of semiotics. My purpose is to take him up on this suggestion and to attempt a reading of his poem ping pong applying Peirce's theory of signs. Peirce's view of process of semiosis is triadic. What is involved is mediation of a or representamen between object it represents and interpretant. Peirce defines or representamen as which stands to somebody in some respect or capacity. The something which representamen (or sign) stands is its object. It is not necessary that it stand for that object[. . .]in all respects (2:228),2 but it should bring about in mind that perceives it an interpretant that can function as the of that [object] of which it is itself sign (M599:RR38).3 The representamen and interpretant will stand in a cor-