THE LANDSCAPE OF THE SOUL IN P. VERLAINE’S “BONNE CHANSON?

Abstract

This article presents a study of some peculiarities of Paul Verlaine’s poetry; he received the most recognition for his work during his life and was elected “Prince of Poets” by the review “La Plume” shortly before his death. Like Mallarmé, he believed that poems should be musical. The evocative verbal music of rhyme and rhythm, of repetition and assonance is a real Verlaine’s poetic credo. This simple music of his verse, combined with the melancholy and sadness, distinguish his poetry. More striking, however, is the candour of Verlaine himself. “La bonne chanson” (1872) is one of the greatest achievement of Verlaine’s poetry. The various senses and perceptions symbolized in Verlaine by the presence of verbal music, of correspondences between the arts, and the physical and spiritual domains. A natural landscape gives way to a landscape of the soul. The human soul through landscape realizes its existence and emotions.