Reading Paul Valéry: Universe in Mind (Cambridge Studies in French, Series Number 58)

Paul Valéry's work is a unique odyssey in the universe of ideas and mental forms. The most recently acknowledged - and the most private - of the masters of modernity, Valéry is perhaps the most radical and wide-ranging. He navigates freely within the mental galaxies known to scientists, poets, literary theorists, musicians, philosophers, historicans and social anthropologists, always concerned to explore the potential and limits of the human mind. Originally published in 1999, the present volume of essays by internationally recognised scholars offered the first comprehensive account of Valéry's work in English or French. It provided a series of readings bringing into focus the deeper coherence that animates what Valéry called his 'unitary mind in a thousand pieces', and offered perspectives on the immense range of his experimental and fragmentary writings. This book moved forward the frontiers of our understanding of Valéry's work, and substantially altered the way in which he was perceived. Contents......Page 8 Contributors......Page 10 Abbreviations......Page 11 Introduction......Page 14 Towards a biography of the mind......Page 30 Thinking-writing games of the 'Cahiers'......Page 49 Paradigms of the self: Valery's mythical models......Page 66 The fascination of science......Page 83 An art of rethinking: Valery's 'negative philosophy'......Page 98 The Poetics of practice and theory......Page 118 s Prose Poetry......Page 134 Mon Faust': the inner politics of thought......Page 168 Major poems: the voice of the subject......Page 183 Other voices: intertextuality and the art of pure poetry......Page 200 Les Pas'......Page 213 An aesthetics of the subject: music and the visual arts......Page 232 Politics, history and the modem world......Page 249 Valery and the Feminine......Page 264 Dream and the Unconscious......Page 275 Self and Other: Valery's 'lost object of desire......Page 293 Conclusion......Page 310 Select Bibliography......Page 319 Index......Page 327 Cambridge University Press Contents 8 Contributors 10 Abbreviations 11 Introduction 14 Towards a biography of the mind 30 Thinking-writing games of the 'Cahiers' 49 Paradigms of the self: Valery's mythical models 66 The fascination of science 83 An art of rethinking: Valery's 'negative philosophy' 98 The Poetics of practice and theory 118 'Esprit, Attentepure, kernel suspens ...': Valery 134 s Prose Poetry 134 The Dialogues and 168 Mon Faust': the inner politics of thought 168 Major poems: the voice of the subject 183 Other voices: intertextuality and the art of pure poetry 200 Manuscript steps: 213 Les Pas' 213 An aesthetics of the subject: music and the visual arts 232 Politics, history and the modem world 249 Valery and the Feminine 264 Dream and the Unconscious 275 Self and Other: Valery's 'lost object of desire 293 Conclusion 310 Select Bibliography 319 Index 327 9780521584944

The most recently acknowledged—and the most private—of the masters of modernity, Paul Valéry is perhaps the most radical and wide-ranging. He navigates freely within the mental galaxies known to scientists, poets, literary theorists, musicians, philosophers, historians and social anthropologists, always concerned with exploring the potential and limits of the human mind. This volume of essays by internationally recognized scholars offers the first comprehensive account in English or French of Valéry's work. It brings into focus the deeper coherence that animates what Valéry called his "unitary mind in a thousand pieces," and offers new perspectives on the immense range of his experimental and fragmentary writings.

The most recently acknowledged--and the most private--of the masters of modernity, Paul Valery is perhaps the most radical and wide-ranging. He navigates freely within the mental galaxies known to scientists, poets, literary theorists, musicians, philosophers, historians and social anthropologists, always concerned with exploring the potential and limits of the human mind. This volume of essays by internationally recognized scholars offers the first comprehensive account in English or French of Valery's work. It brings into focus the deeper coherence that animates what Valery called his "unitary mind in a thousand pieces," and offers new perspectives on the immense range of his experimental and fragmentary writings. Paul Valery's work is a unique Odyssey in the universe of ideas and mental forms. He navigates freely within the mental galaxies known to scientists, poets, literary theorists, musicians, philosophers, historians and social anthropologists, always concerned to explore the potential and limits of the human mind Editor, Paul Gifford ; Associate Editor, Brian Stimpson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 306-313) And Index.