Alain Jaubert's novel imagines a meeting between Conrad and Rimbaud in Marseille
In Alain Jaubert's book 'Au bord de la mer violette' (Gallimard), a fictional meeting unfolds between Joseph Conrad and Arthur Rimbaud in Marseille during 1875. The narrative kicks off on June 24, 1875, with the young Teodor Józef Konrad Korzeniowski, who would later become Joseph Conrad, enjoying rum at a café on the Vieux-Port. Here, he encounters the disheveled, limping Rimbaud, who, at twenty, has already seen the end of his literary journey. Their conversation touches on life, poetry, and the sea, with Rimbaud referencing Parisian poets, stirring an unexpected attraction in Conrad. The second section depicts Rimbaud's last moments on November 10, 1891, in a Marseille hospital, while the final part features Conrad's return on February 1, 1921, as he contemplates his life and Rimbaud. Jaubert, a former sailor, delves into themes of exile and language.
Key facts
- Alain Jaubert wrote the novel 'Au bord de la mer violette' published by Gallimard.
- The novel imagines a meeting between Joseph Conrad and Arthur Rimbaud in Marseille in 1875.
- The encounter is set on June 24, 1875, at a café on the Vieux-Port.
- Conrad was seventeen and still known as Teodor Józef Konrad Korzeniowski.
- Rimbaud was twenty and had already ended his literary career.
- The second part of the novel depicts Rimbaud's death on November 10, 1891, in a Marseille hospital.
- The third part shows Conrad returning to Marseille on February 1, 1921.
- Jaubert is a former sailor and author of 'Val Paradis'.
Entities
Artists
- Alain Jaubert
- Joseph Conrad
- Arthur Rimbaud
- Teodor Józef Konrad Korzeniowski
- Jessie Conrad
- Thérèse
Institutions
- Gallimard
Locations
- Marseille
- France
- Vieux-Port
- Corsica
- Italy
Sources
- artpress —