First Goethe, now Barthes - Notes on Writing about Love
“C’est donc un amoureux qui parle et qui dit :”
Roland Barthes’ Fragments d’un discours amoureux (1978; A Lover's Discourse: Fragments / Fragmente einer Sprache der Liebe) is a particular favourite of mine. A mon avis, it’s one of those books that you can read in an eternal loop (or chapterwise), for the meaning and the examples you yourself contribute whilst turning the pages change over time. Today, I am certainly reading the book differently than two ago. Or four years ago. Whilst this applies to many books, the effect is clearly achieved by the focus on the lover – the ‘I’ – rather than a particular plot.
These fragments are a collection of 80 key words, stretching from s’abîmer (to be engulfed) and absence, across the indispensible je-t’-aime (I-love-you), to vérité (truth) and vouloir-saisir (will-to-possess). Barthes’ idea of applying a “dramatic” method rather than metalanguage is this: He joins examples from literature, first and foremost Goethe’s Die Leiden des jungen Werther (cf. Takara Allum’s recommendation here on MFLconnect), philosophy and conversations with friends. It is not analysis, the author stresses. “C’est un portrait, si l’on veut, qui est proposé ; mais ce portrait n’est pas psychologique ; il est structural : il donne à lire une place de parole : la place de quelqu’un qui parle en lui-même, amoureusement, face à l’autre (l’objet aimé), qui ne parle pas.” The result resembles a beautifully compiled verbal sketch of each key word – a very relatable sketch, perfect for someone like myself who enjoys re-visiting past scenarios and trains of thought (how very kind of Monsieur Barthes to place a full stop at the end of each fragment), a perfect opportunity to look at them with a fresh eye. And a magnifying glass – but not in the manner of a stern inquiry. Rather like a friendly conversation over a cup of tea (I was going to write “glass of wine”, which would have sounded more contemplative than cosy – but I prefer tea).
" - a very relatable sketch, perfect for someone like myself who enjoys re-visiting past scenarios and trains of thought"
Another aspect I love spending a considerable amount of time thinking about is the matter of translation: Barthes chose to structure this collection of figures alphabetically, arguing that they appear randomly in the lover’s consciousness. That shouldn’t be any different in other languages, right? Here is my question: Is it more important to stick to the original sequence of the chapters, or to the idea of arranging them in alphabetical order? One way or another, I think this is a perfect example of a text that gains in translation. Having read the German version twice, I look forward to reading the book in French next. After all, isn’t French supposed to be the language of love?
Here's a link to a French copy of the book: http://palimpsestes.fr/textes_philo/barthes/Barthes_Fragments1977.pdf
