Neustadt International Prize for Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 3 (1974) Winner
Francis Ponge
フランシス・ポンジュ
Furanshisu Ponju
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1899-03-27 （Montpellier, France）
- Died
- 1988-08-06 （Le Bar-sur-Loup, France） age 89
- Nationality
- France
- Languages
- French
- Religion
- Protestant
- Residence History
- Montpellier (birthplace) → Paris (long-term residence) → Country house (Le Bar-sur-Loup, later years)
Career
- Occupations
- Poet, Essayist, Editor, Lecturer
- Active Years
- 1923-1988
- Affiliations
- Éditions Gallimard, Hachette, Alliance française (Paris)
- Influenced By
- Jean Paulhan (mentor), Surrealist movement
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sorbonne (University of Paris) | — | — | — | — | France |
| Paris Law Faculty (École de droit) | Faculty of Law | Law | — | — | France |
Sorbonne (University of Paris)
Country:
France
Studied in Paris (exact years/degree unclear)
Paris Law Faculty (École de droit)
Faculty of Law
/ Law
Country:
France
Read law; exact degree or graduation year unclear
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Neustadt International Prize for Literature | — | — | World Literature Today / Neustadt Prize | 受賞 |
| 1981 | French National Poetry Prize (Académie française) | — | — | Académie française | 受賞 |
| 1985 | Grand Prix of the Société des gens de lettres | — | — | Société des gens de lettres | 受賞 |
| 1983 | Légion d'honneur (Commandeur) | — | — | French government | 受章 |
Neustadt International Prize for Literature
1974
Organization:
World Literature Today / Neustadt Prize
Result:
受賞
French National Poetry Prize (Académie française)
1981
Organization:
Académie française
Result:
受賞
Grand Prix of the Société des gens de lettres
1985
Organization:
Société des gens de lettres
Result:
受賞
Légion d'honneur (Commandeur)
1983
Organization:
French government
Result:
受章
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Le Parti pris des choses (The Voice/Partisan of Things)
1942 Prose poetry / essayistic descriptionA collection of prose poems that meticulously describes everyday objects (oranges, potatoes, cigarettes, etc.) aiming to restore the power and purity of language.
Observation of everyday objectsRelation between language and thingsPurification of description
Translations
- English translation: The Voice of Things (one possible title)
Proêmes
1948 Prose poetryA series of short prose poems continuing his exploration of the possibilities of language and expression.
Language experimentsLimits of expression
Le Savon (Soap)
1967 Long prose poemA long prose poem that humorously and exhaustively explores the word and the thing; has been translated into English (e.g. Lane Dunlop).
Relation between word and referentHumor and analysis
Translations
- English translation: Soap (translated by Lane Dunlop, 1969)
Le Grand Recueil (The Grand Collection)
1961 Essays / prose poemsA major work containing methodological reflections on the purity of language and the description of objects; advocates concentration on simple things.
MethodPurification of language
Bibliography
- Le Parti pris des choses (1942)
- Proêmes (1948)
- La Rage de l'expression (1952)
- Le Grand Recueil (1961–1962)
- Pour un Malherbe (1965)
- Le Savon (1967)
- Interviews with Philippe Sollers (1970)
- La Fabrique du Pré (1971)
- Comment une figue de paroles et pourquoi (1977)
- Pages d'atelier, 1917–1982 (Gallimard, 2005)
Translations of Works
- Le Savon → Soap (translated by Lane Dunlop, 1969)
- Le Parti pris des choses → The Voice of Things (English translations exist)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Meticulous, descriptive prose poetryObjective voice avoiding appeals to emotion or symbolism
- Recurring Motifs
- Everyday objects (stones, grass, soap, oranges, potatoes, etc.)Attention to words and the function of language
Legacy
Ponge is known for his distinctive prose poems that meticulously describe everyday objects and is regarded as an important 20th-century French poet. He received international recognition (e.g. Neustadt Prize) and consistently questioned the relation between language and things.
Academic Societies
- Société des Lecteurs de Francis Ponge
Archives
- Holdings at Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) and related archives
- Library authority files and university archives (various national authority entries)
Quotes
-
"a description-definition-literary artwork" (avoiding the drabness of a dictionary and the inadequacy of poetry)
Source: Le Grand Recueil (summary/critical statement) (1961)
Trivia
- Joined socialist activity in 1919.
- Joined the Communist Party in 1937 and left it in 1947.
- Participated in the French Resistance during WWII.
- Received the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 1974.
- Made Commandeur of the Légion d'honneur in 1983.