French Literature Reviews - 2026
Th. Buffet, Le Renouvellement de l’écriture élégiaque chez Friedrich Hölderlin et André Chénier
Poetry and Poetics
Thomas Buffet,
Le Renouvellement de l’écriture élégiaque chez Friedrich Hölderlin et André Chénier,
Classiques Garnier, collection "Perspectives comparatistes", 2020.
EAN13 : 9782406081012.
602 pages — €59.00
This study explores the revival of elegiac poetry in the works of two contemporary poets, André Chénier and Friedrich Hölderlin, both of whom drew inspiration from classical models, particularly ancient Greek poetry. It compares their respective approaches, which ultimately shaped a distinctive poetic idiom born of a shared inspiration.
The elegiac tradition has long served as a site for poets seeking to engage with the weight of classical heritage while articulating modern sensibilities. Throughout European literary history, writers have continually returned to ancient Greek and Latin models to revitalize traditional forms, adapting ancient meters and themes to contemporary aesthetic demands.
Thomas Buffet's study explores the revival of elegiac poetry in the works of two contemporary poets, André Chénier and Friedrich Hölderlin, both of whom drew inspiration from classical models, particularly ancient Greek poetry. It compares their respective approaches, which ultimately shaped a distinctive poetic idiom born of a shared inspiration. Readers interested in comparative poetry, neoclassical aesthetics, and the reception of classical antiquity may find this study relevant.