La tradition dans les trois dernières oeuvres de Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo
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Abstract EN:
In the 1920 s,madagascan literature of french expression was a cultural reality. The most outstanding personality of this literary school was the the poet rabearivelo (1901-1937). The first period of his career was marked by coupe de cendres (1924), sylves (1927) and volumes (1928). This period is also called "imitative period" for these works belong to symbolist and parnassian inspiration both in content and form. Because of the linguistic barrier, this literature had hardly any impact on the general public. That is how the poet excluded himself from the people, all the more as his work bore few relations to the country's cultural realities. In a second time ( the 1930s), rabearivelo adopted a remarkable poetic evolution. It corresponds to his period of maturity which is characterized by a full realization of national values. As a matter of fact, his last publications profoundly dissociate themselves from the western mould. Rabearivelo turned to madagascan tradition in order to revive his inspiration. He took up traditional themes, particularly the poetry of elements, the bestiary and the myth of protecting ancestors. This poetic evolution was materialized by such major books as presque-songes (1934) and traduit de la nuit (1935). These works also introduced a fundamental innovation they were published simultaneously in french and madagascan, thus showing the poet's linguistic and cultural double-belonging. As a matter of fact, bilingualism seems to be an equitable solution to work out his being torn between faithfulness to madagascan tradition on the one hand, and fondness of french language and culture on the other. This duality composes all the more his poetic syncretism as he was a cosmopolitan poet, convinced of the bebeficial role that universal culture played in his work. His last book (a posthumous publication) contains the oral tradition which he adapted and translated : vieilles chansons d'imerina (1939).
Abstract FR:
Dans les annees 1920, la litterature malgache d'expression francaise est une realite culturelle. La personnalite la plus marquante de cette ecole litteraire fut le poete rabearivelo (1901-1937). La premiere periode de sa carriere est marquee par les recueils coupe de cendres (1924), sylves (1927) et volumes (1928). Elle est egalement appelee "periode imitative" car ces oeuvres sont d'inspiration symboliste et parnassienne, tant par le contenu que par la forme. A cause de la barriere linguistique, cette litterature avait tres peu d'impact dans le grand public. C'est ainsi que le poete s'est exclu du peuple, d'autant plus que l'oeuvre avait peu de rapport avec les realites culturelles du pays. Dans un second temps (les annees 1930), rabearivelo adopta une evolution poetique remarquable. Elle correspond a sa periode de maturite qui se signale par une prise de conscience des valeurs nationales. En effet, ses dernieres publications se demarquent profondement du moule occidental. Rabearivelo se tourna vers la tradition malgache pour regenerer son inspiration. Il proceda a une recuperation des themes traditionnels, notamment la poesie des elements, le bestiaire et le mythe des ancetres protecteurs. Cette evolution poetique s'est concretisee par les recueils majeurs que sont presque-songes (1934) et traduit de la nuit (1935). Ceux-ci introduisent egalement une innovation capitale : ils furent publies simultanement en francais et en malgache, temoignant ainsi de la double appartenance linguistique et culturelle du poete. En effet, le bilinguisme apparait comme une solution equitable pour resoudre son dechirement entre la fidelite a la tradition malgache d'un cote, et de l'autre, l'affection pour la langue et la culture francaises. Cette dualite constitue son syncretisme poetique d'autant plus qu'il etait un ecrivain cosmopolite, convaincu du role benefique de la culture universelle dans son oeuvre. Son dernier recueil (une publication posthume) contient la tradition orale qu'il a adaptee et traduite : vieilles chansons d'imerina (1939)