The Prose of Mallarmé

This book was originally published in 1976. Mallarme's writings about the nature and purposes of art lie behind much modern critical theory. There is no sharp distinction between his poetry and his prose; in both he was exercising his art; and in both he was preoccupied by the same things. Yet the prose is little studied. Dr Kravis treats it under the headings of literary, music and dramatic criticism, translation, writing on fashion and on language. She shows the intellectual links between the various interests. More important, she shows how the prose is an art which does what it talks about. Quotation is in French, so this is primarily a book for the reader of French. But it is important for any serious reader of modern literature.