GOMBROWICZ WITOLD: (1904-1969)

GOMBROWICZ WITOLD: (1904-1969)

On his masterpiece, the cult novel Ferdydurke –

 

‘It is certainly a very particular and combative book

which provoked a hostile reaction in certain circles

but also a real enthusiasm in others’

 

 

GOMBROWICZ WITOLD: (1904-1969) Polish writer and playwright. An interesting, small archive of T.Ls.S. by both Gombrowicz and R. Marill Alberes to the French editor Raymond Queneau, concerning Gombrowicz's first and most controversial novel, Ferdydurke (1937) comprising -

 

(i) T.L.S., Witold Gombrowicz, one page, 4to, Bueno Aires, 7th December 1949, to [Raymond Queneau], in French. Gombrowicz writes, in full, 'Puisque Mr. Marill Alberes a eu la bonte de vous recommander mon roman "Ferdydurke", je me permets de vous envoyer les antecedents relatifs a sa parution en Pologne et en Argentine. Je voudrais appeler votre attention sur ce texte car, il me semble, on peut en conclure que mon livre a des serieuses chances d'obtenir un succes en France, a condition que son parution soit convenablement preparee. Un exemplaire de "Ferdydurke" vous a ete envoye par bateau le 5 novembre' (Translation: 'Since Mr. Marill Alberes had the kindness to recommend my novel "Ferdydurke" to you, I allow myself to send you the antecedents relative to its publication in Poland and in Argentina. I would like to draw your attention to this text because, it seems to me, one can conclude that my book has a serious chance of obtaining success in France, provided that its publication is suitably prepared. A copy of "Ferdydurke" was shipped to you on 5th November'). With two annotations in the hand of Queneau, the first in pencil to the left margin stating that the book was 'ex. communique a Callois' on 30th May 1950 (later crossed through), and the second in ink at the foot of the page, 'Callois a lu ce livre deja 2 fois', indicating that Callois had already read the book twice. Together with the typed synopsis referred to, two pages, 4to, n.p. (Buenos Aires), n.d. (1949), in French, providing a brief publication history of Ferdydurke in Poland and Argentina, and the critical acclaim it received, in part, 'Voici les premieres lignes de la conference de Schulz, publiee ensuite par la plus serieuse revue litteraire polonaise "Skamander": "Depuis lomgtemps nous nous sommes deshabitues dans notre litterature d'une explosion des idees tellement grandoise. Ferdydurke c'est une extraordinaire manifestation de talent, une forme et une methode artistique nouvelle et revolutionnaire, enfin une importante decouverte, annexion d'une nouvelle sphere de phenomenes spirituels"' (Translation: 'Here are the first lines of Schulz's lecture, subsequently published by the most serious Polish literary journal "Skamander": For a long time we have become unaccustomed in our literature to such a grandiose explosion of ideas. Ferdydurke is an extraordinary manifestation of talent, a form and a new and revolutionary artistic method, finally an important discovery, annexation of a new sphere of spiritual phenomena'). 

 

 

(ii) An important T.L.S., Witold Gombrowicz, one page, 4to, Buenos Aires, 9th June 1950, to [Raymond Queneau], in French. The author defends his novel Ferdydurke, and expresses his disappointment with the French intellectual Roger Caillois, in full, 'Mr. Marill Alberes m'a communiquer votre decision de remettre mon roman "Ferdydurke" a Mr. Roger Caillois qui est lecteur de la litterature sudameriquaine chez Gallimard, J'avoue que cette decision m'a beaucoup chagrine. Mr. Caillois a une mentalite, une philosophie, un temperement de plus opposes au miens et il est absolument logique qu'il ne soit guere ami de mon livre. Il le connait deja et on m'a dit quil lui a deplut. Cependant "Ferdydurke" fut tres hautement califie. Je n'exagere pas par beaucoup des intelectuels et je suis persuade que son cas est assez serieux pour que j'ose vous prier de le faire examiner par d'autres personnes. Il s'agit certainement d'un livre tres particulier et combatif qui a provoque une reaction hostile dans certains millieux mais aussi un vrai entousiasme dans l'autres. Je voudrais souligner aussi que je ne suis pas un auteur sudameriquain, mais polonais, et si je presente a Mr. Gallimard la traduction espagnole c'est pour de raisons d'ordre pratique. Si donc vous trouverez qu'il est possible de choisir un autre lecteur pour "Ferdydurke" je vous prie de bien vouloir me communiquer votre decision et je vais vous envoyer tout de suite d'autres exemplaires' (Translation: 'Mr. Marill Alberes informed me of your decision to submit my novel "Ferdydurke" to Mr. Roger Caillois who is a reader of South American literature at Gallimard. I admit that this decision saddened me a great deal. Mr. Caillois has a mentality, a philosophy, a temperament more opposed to mine and it is absolutely logical that he is hardly a friend of my book. He already knows it and I was told he disliked it. However, "Ferdydurke" was very highly qualified, I am not exaggerating, by many intellectuals and I am convinced that its case is serious enough for me to dare to ask you to have it examined by other people. It is certainly a very particular and combative book which provoked a hostile reaction in certain circles but also a real enthusiasm in others. I would also like to emphasize that I am not a South American author, but a Polish one, and if I am presenting the Spanish translation to Mr. Gallimard it is for practical reasons. If, therefore, you find that it is possible to choose another reader for "Ferdydurke" please let me know your decision and I will send you other copies immediately'). 

 

(iii) T.L.S., R M Alberes by Rene Marill Alberes (1921-1982) French writer and literary critic, one page, 4to, Buenos Aires, 28th November 1949, to Raymond Queneau, on the printed stationery of the Institut Francais d'Etudes Superieures, in French. Alberes introduces Ferdydurke to his correspondent, in part, 'Ma situation en Argentine me permet de decouvrir parfois - disons au maximum une fois par an - quelque bon livre inconnu en France......J'ai pu lire ici, en traduction espagnole, le livre d'un Polonais, Witold Gombrowicz, un roman "Ferdydurke", qui ma semble reellement excellent…… Les maisons d'edition que je connais doivent etre tres prudentes en ce moment, et publient peu. J'ai pense que vous me permettriez de m'addresser a vous......pour essayer de faire connaitre en France un livre sur lequel je ne crois pas me tromper, De toutes facons, je ne pense pas que vous me fassiez de reproches si je vous amene a le lire (il n'est traduit qu en espagnol). Je crois pouvoir garantir que la lecture ne vous deplaira pas. Si vous l'amenez ensuite chez Gallimard, tant mieux car je le le crois bon. J'ai demande a l'auteur de vous l'envoyer. Il ne connait personne en France et ne songeait guere a essayer par lui-meme de s'y faire connaitre' (Translation: 'My situation in Argentina allows me to discover sometimes - let's say at most once a year - some good book unknown in France….I was able to read here, in a Spanish translation, the book of a Pole, Witold Gombrowicz, a novel "Ferdydurke", which seems really excellent to me……The publishing houses that I know must be very careful at the moment, and publish little. I thought that you would allow me to address myself to you….to try to make known in France a book in which I do not believe I am wrong. Anyway, I do not think that you will make me reproaches if I ask you to read it (it is only translated into Spanish). I believe I can guarantee that you will enjoy reading it. If you then take it to Gallimard, so much the better because I believe it is good. I asked the author to send it to you. He doesn't know anyone in France and hardly thought of trying to make himself known there'). 

 

(iv) T.L.S., R. M. Alberes, one page, 4to, La Paz, 19th January 1950, to [Raymond Queneau], in French. Alberes states that he is very grateful to Queneau for considering his suggestion for Gombrowicz's book and continues to remark 'Je m'etais permis de vous l'adresser, car j'ignorais encore que Roger Caillois dut venir nous voir en Amerique du Sud, et par ailleurs il s'agissait d'un livre polonais qui n'avait d'autres rapports avec l'Amerique du Sud que d'y avoir ete traduit en espagnol - ce qui m'avait d'ailleurs permis de le lire…… La maison Gallimard me fascine comme le soleil, et n'ayant pas l'oeil du condor des Andes, je n'osais la regarder en face' (Translation: 'I had taken the liberty of sending it to you, because I was still unaware that Roger Caillois was to come to see us in South America, and moreover it was a Polish book which had no other connection with South America other than to have been translated into Spanish - which had allowed me to read it…….The Gallimard publishing house fascinates me like the sun, and not having the eye of the Andean condor, I dared not look it in the face') and further writing of his own experiences with Nouvelle Edition with whom, in his haste to see his work published, he signed a ten year contract until the end of 1943. 

 

An important archive of correspondence revealing the missed opportunities of the French publishing house Gallimard to take Gombrowicz's cult novel Ferdydurke, which had first been published in Polish in 1937. Some light age wear and minor age toning to the edges of each of the letters, G to generally VG, 5

 

Raymond Queneau (1903-1976) French novelist, poet, critic and editor who spent much of his life working for the Gallimard publishing house, beginning as a reader in 1938. 

 

Roger Caillois (1913-1978) French intellectual whose idiosyncratic work brought together literary criticism, sociology and philosophy. Caillois left France for Argentina in 1939, where he would stay until the end of World War II. 

 

The first translation (undertaken by Gombrowicz himself) of Ferdydurke was to Spanish when the work was published in Buenos Aires in 1947. A French translation of the book did not appear until 1958, with Gallimard again missing their opportunity, when it was published by Julliard following Gombrowicz's collaboration with Roland Martin. Direct and indirect translations of Ferdydurke now exist in over twenty languages. The cause of the failure of Gallimard's editorial act lies not with Queneau, who held Gombrowicz in esteem, but with Caillois who, despite having read the book twice, failed to recognise Ferdydurke as an extraordinary masterpiece, which is to Polish literature what Don Quixote is to Spanish literature: a great absurd and unclassifiable book which unleashed criticism and revolutionised the novel, making its author one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.