Publisher's Synopsis
This work devotes itself entirely to the poetry of Jules Laforgue (1860-87). Based on detailed study of his manuscripts as well as printed texts, it analyzes the evolution of Laforgues's poetic evaluation as he understood himself.;It presents a detailed investigation of his changing poetic techniques and illustrates both his poetic versatility and the significance of his adoption of free verse. The author argues that Laforgue is the great innovator in the use of free verse in French poetry. She sheds light on his method of composition by detailed analysis of variants, and defines the precise nature of his experiment with interior monologue. Setting Laforgue firmly in the context of contemporary French poetry, Anne Holmes highlights the influence on him of Walt Whitman and Impressionist painting. Comparison is also made to T.S. Eliot, for whom Laforgue was a major inspiration.
