Delirium: An Interpretation of Arthur Rimbaud

by Jeremy Reed

Delirium , an intuitive and original interpretation of the poet Arthur Rimbaud’s life and genius, brings into close focus the crucial period of 1873, when Rimbaud left school and the provinces and lived his “season in hell.” Jeremy Reed brings his own imagination to this exploration of Rimbaud’s precocity, his near-madness and drug addiction, and his homosexual and violent liaison with the married poet Paul Verlaine. Delirium is one poet’s vibrant reading of another’s radical and subversive vision; it is a book about what it's like to go to the edge and risk everything. Jeremy Reed was born in Jersey, Channel Islands. He has published many books of poetry and fiction.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Olya Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't a conventional biography. Jeremy Reed shares his own view of Rimbaud’s personality, the poet’s perception of himself, and of the world around him. It may not be accurate, but it feels authentic. There are many references to Rimbaud’s poetry and quotes from his personal correspondence to support the narrative.

I’m not sure if it’s possible to be intoxicated by poetry, but it certainly feels like Rimbaud does that to a reader.

His writing seems delirious. It causes emotional and sensory overload. It affects you on so many levels, that it is nearly impossible to fully comprehend his ideas.

Jeremy Reed mirrors that same delirium stylistically.

Sometimes, Reed’s tone becomes obsessive. As if he deliberately overwhelms the reader to create tension, provoke shock, and emulate the delirious, drug-induced state Rimbaud experienced during his years as a poet. Some sections border on hysteria, others are filled with dark eroticism.

Overall, for me, this book is disturbing and provocative in a good way.

[Mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hilariously bad.