Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

Publication Date

2-14-2014

Abstract

The black boxers who fled the United States to Paris in the beginning of the 20th century were a true sensation among the citys avant-garde, and of all the artists and litterateurs gathered around the rings of the Parisian boxing scene, two champions of the poetic world stand out: Guillaume Apollinaire and Arthur Cravan. For these two poets who embraced the fraternal bond which has long existed between pugilist and lyricist, the noble art came to have a unique impact both upon their poetic works and how they defined themselves as poets. By putting these two poetic heavyweights head-to-head, this thesis explores the poetry and persona of the poète-boxeur.

Keywords

Poetry, Boxing, Pugilism, Dada, Surrealism, Negrophilia, Masculinity, Guillaume Apollinaire, Arthur Cravan, Jack Johnson

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

French

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures

First Committee Member (Chair)

Putnam, Walter

Second Committee Member

Cheek, Pamela

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