Divagations

Stéphane Mallarmé

As translated by Barbara Johnson

Belknap Press

By Oscar Gratzir

Simply put, translating literature is very dangerous. A little finesse, to say the least, is always lost, be it Neruda or Murakami. In English, a language based on idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs, words stemming from a Latin-based language never quite translate too well, and vice versa, but Harvard professor Barbara Johnson has turned it around and done her best to preserve the ambiguity of Stéphane Mallarmé’s “Divagations” written in 1897. And her best is exceptional.

Along with Rimbaud and Verlain, French poet and former English language teacher, Stéphane Mallarmé is credited as a leader of the Symbolists, those who revolted against 19th century French realism by adapting a free verse aesthetic. Possessing a penchant for Baudelaire, the Symbolists were shunned by many for their “imaginative” writings, but embraced by other artists across Europe, from writers to painters. Poems should “suggest,” not necessarily “describe,” and come from transcendentalism was Mallarme’s school of thought, and it worked wonders.

Considering his writing defies most grammar rules and syntax, translating this piece of work was a fete set for none other than Johnson, who has done a magnificent job with this Mallarmé’ collection, which one must remember was written over a century ago. Mallarme’s comments on the likes of Wagner and Manet slither around the pages in a compelling prose dance.

To quote from Johnson’s literal translation would be rather silly. Having said that, go to your favorite bookstore and have a read for yourself. This specific translation will correctly introduce English readers to the mysterious mind of Stéphane Mallarmé, a prolific poet who to some, before this translation, never existed. Thanks to Johnson, he should find his way into the hands of English readers across the US. An exceptional read indeed.

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