“A little book of criticism - oh of criticism! Preferentially of exaltation” - 'Ethos' critic and anthological configurations of 'Poètes Maudits' (1884-1888)

Abstract

This paper proposes an approach from the Poètes maudits collection (anthology that constituted a reference point for the symbolist generation), often reduced to the scope of the Rimbaud study that Verlaine proposes there or inserted in a framework of mitographic approaches. The six studies collected in the book, however, are rich in lessons about Verlaine’s critical stance and reinforce evidences found in more recent researches on the constitution and agency of poetic anthologies, while leads more broadly to reconsider verlainean art of prose.