Album

by Roland Barthes

  I see from Seuil’s advertising bulletin that you’re giving a lecture. On what? On the “Nouveau Nouveau Roman” as in the “Nouvelle Nouvelle Revue française”? You must tell me about it.

  No doubt you’ve heard that G[eorges] P[erros]’s father died. With his mother coming as well as his stepdaughter Élisabeth, and with the baby they’re expecting any day now, he’s going to find himself at the head of a seven-person family!109 What an adventure!

  Send me word to tell me where I’ll have the pleasure of greeting you.

  Best wishes,

  Michel Butor

  Roland Barthes to Michel Butor (BNF)

  Urt, August 16, [1964]

  My dear Michel,

  We’ll miss each other in Venice, sadly, because I’m not going until the end of September, about the twenty-seventh. And it would have been perfect to see each other—and to see each other there. When are you coming to Paris? I’ll be there for three days at the beginning of September, but otherwise not until October, that is, after Venice. I’m immersed in “vacation,” that is, over a month of travel (Morocco and Italy), and now here in Urt, in that bizarre rest that comes of relentless work. I’m catching up on things and mostly I’m working on this Rhetoric, which will be my next seminar.110 I’m reading the Ancients, and am so fascinated by the coherence of their system that I don’t really know anymore how I’m going to connect that to our literature—and yet that was my great idea at the beginning. I’d so like to talk with you about this—if we haven’t already, because I know, I feel that you would share my interest. Some of them get on my nerves, like Cicero and even Plato; others delight me, like Aristotle and Quintilian: an unexpected division for a structuralist! The “heart” and “soul” are more powerless, more agitated than ever, “understanding nothing,” but fortunately there’s Quintilian and the classification of the status causae.111 I’d love to see you, to rediscover that mixture of “heart” and “intelligence” for which I have such great need, given my solitude here, my problems.

  Write to me,

  Yours,

  Roland

  Michel Butor to Roland Barthes

  Berlin, August 24, 1964

  My dear Roland,

  Really, I’m very interested in what you’re going to tell us about Aristotle and Quintilian.

  Our life is going to change a bit because we’ve decided to move to Paris at the beginning of the school year. We’re buying a house in the south suburb of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois. The apartment on Rue Saint-Charles has grown too small and is for sale.

  So you’ll not be coming there anymore (at least not to our place). I hope you’ll find the time to come to Sainte-Geneviève.

  Marie-Jo left for Paris this morning to take care of all that. I have two sisters-in-law with me for the girls. I’ll go to Paris myself in September, for that important business, but after Venice. Then I won’t be returning there until November, but I still don’t know which days; that will depend on my Illustrations collection.112

  So I’ll save you a few moments for three months from now.

  Best wishes,

  Michel Butor

  Roland Barthes to Michel Butor

  November 21, 1965

  My dear Michel,

  Thank you for your support in the Picard business.113 I’ve been overwhelmed by it in all sorts of ways, and it has taken on something of the shape of a crisis (not internally of course, because the debate is a sham) that has exposed all kinds of ill will (literature, what a crystallizer for hatred! a truly magical object) but also friendships like yours. I’m struggling with an enormous workload, increased by this incident that I did not need. Dear Michel, I’d like to ask if you could come speak to one of my seminars in the second term. This year I’m pursuing a kind of investigation into Rhetoric and I’ve reached the contemporary period, that is to say, our literature, inquiring into either authors of the past like Mallarmé, or authors of the present, like you. If you accept, you are free (I insist on this freedom, knowing from experience that an author doesn’t always want to assume the image attributed to him) either to talk about an experience of language that is not directly yours (that of the Surrealists, for example), or to talk about yourself, faced with the art of writing, and you can do this as you please, through a statement, followed by questions from the audience and from me, or directly through questions that I would submit to you. The seminar seems to be going well, friendly, informal. It would be a joy for me personally to welcome you to it. It’s held on Thursdays, from 6 to 8 PM and the dates I can offer you are January 20, January 27, February 10, February 17, February 24, March 10.114 Can you drop me a note before your return to let me know what you decide?

  I wanted to call Marie-Jo before she left and then time got away from me, especially because I made a (very successful) trip to Morocco. Both of you please send news. I am yours in faithful friendship.

  Roland

  Michel Butor to Roland Barthes

  Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, March 17, 1966

  My dear Roland,

  Much joy in the family on receiving your essay.115 The three girls are delighted with the dedication. As for me, I want to tell you how I admire the text. When responding to attacks, it’s very difficult not to descend to the level of your adversaries. You did a perfect job of making Picard simply the pretext, a microorganism among so many others in a drop of the Parisian broth. How all those quotes swarm about in the notes of your first part!

  Now people are going to regret not coming to your defense. They’re going to see how beautiful the struggle was, what nobility and intelligence there would have been! Too bad for them.

  As for the second part, I hear it as profoundly right. Yes, many passages complete—by giving them a surer form—countless thoughts that I have had or with which I still contend. What strides you take! How much ground you’ve already covered! And let me congratulate you on having the courage to refer so often to those younger than you, something I’m hardly capable of.

  So thank you with all my heart. Marie-Jo asks me to remember us to your mother with our best wishes. We’re hoping to see you both soon.

  Yours,

  Michel Butor

  Roland Barthes to Michel Butor (BNF)

  Monday, [March 1966]

  My dear Michel, your letter gave me immense pleasure. I need to know that emotionally I’m by your side and so I’m deeply touched to find you at mine. Thank you for taking the trouble to say this so well, and thank you for those very beautiful “cross-outs.”116 They transcend their own name furthermore by revealing that any “cross-out” is only superimposition, layered “ruins,” sedimentation of meaning; and what shows through the surface is very beautiful. To all that must again be added one more very big thank-you for the seminar that you gave us and that we’ve talked about again often, with gratitude—I’ll be in touch in April.

  My best to you both,

  Roland

  * * *

  Tokyo, May 26, 1966

  Dear friends, you can imagine that no postcard in the world bears any relationship to what can really be seen here, which is, for me, incredible.117 Notably, there is no postcard of faces, and I’ve never seen more beautiful people. I’m delighted for you that you’re coming here, for all that you will get out of this country.

  Until soon, your faithful friend,

  Roland

  * * *

  Tokyo, Wednesday, March 29, [1967]

  Delighted to learn here of the arrival of the fourth daughter.118 I hope that Marie-Jo isn’t too tired and that everything is going well. We’ve often spoken of you with Pinguet.119 My second visit is outdoing the first in intensity, pleasure, and discoveries. I’m all perception and no writing. I return in eight days and will be in touch.

  R. B.

  * * *

  Rabat, October 20, 1969

  My dear Michel,

  I was happy to get your card. I’m in the midst of settling in, worries exactly parallel to yours, and I have not yet been
able to work (although classes have not yet begun).120 I can’t talk about my stay yet; I have only a practical perception of all this and I don’t yet know if my new life will fulfill the function (of work) that I’ve assigned to it. Before leaving Paris, I nevertheless had time to be absolutely enchanted by your Fourier.121 It’s the greatest of successes. You’ve produced a text homogeneous to its subject and that consequently destroys the antimony of the text and its critique. I’d like very much to see you, so that will be in June in Paris, when both of us return from our own latitudes (it’s almost out of Jules Verne).

  Best wishes, love to the whole family and to you,

  Roland

  11, rue Pierre-Sémard, Rabat

  * * *

  Paris, October 20, 1970

  My dear Michel,

  I was happy to hear your news, and what you said about Fourier touched me (I’ve had hardly any response, except for yours).122 Of course I wanted to dedicate it to you, but I was afraid that might seem too predetermined by your own dedication; we’ll have to wait for the next text. I’ve just returned for good from Morocco. I’m deeply depressed, overloaded, that goes without saying, but in a way that cuts me off from that laziness in writing that basically makes all writing strong somehow; thus I’m cut off from my desire. I hope to see you without fail when you return to Paris; try to save a little time for me.

  Love to all,

  Your faithful friend,

  Roland

  * * *

  March 15, 1971

  My dear Michel,

  I was happy to hear your news but a little saddened by your practical difficulties, which I can well imagine.123 As for the troubles with the University, I have the same kind of problem; it’s a question of modifying the statute of the École des Hautes Études, and then this would raise the problem of the thesis, which I’ve always tried and been able to avoid.124 I’m finished in Geneva, and despite the fatigue (due, above all, to the fact that I had never prepared classes in advance), I’m retaining the best memories from the experience.125 Everyone was extremely kind, I liked Geneva … and I would happily do it again (at least I had that alibi for all those meetings that bore me to death here).

  Now I can resume my own work a bit; I’m starting on Sade again—but I’m buried under everything else.126

  I’m looking forward to seeing you again, dear Michel.

  Love to all the family and all my faithful warm wishes,

  Roland

  * * *

  Paris, October 20, 1977

  Michel, my mother is very, very sick; practically all I do is take care of her and that keeps me from other activities. I haven’t even been able to think about resigning from the Médicis, as I announced to you.127 So I will vote in November, but without being able to attend the meetings no doubt. For the moment, I don’t have any names, except maybe for the foreign prize, Goytisolo or Bianciotti.128

  Thank you for having written to me, dear Michel,

  Your friend,

  Roland

  5. Roland Barthes to Jean Piel

  The first contact between Critique and Roland Barthes goes back to the year 1954, when, in the January issue, Jean Piel129 paid homage to Le Degré zéro de l’écriture.130 That same year, Barthes published his first article in the review started by Georges Bataille with his famous text “Littérature objective,” devoted to Gommes by Alain Robbe-Grillet. In 1962, shortly after Georges Bataille’s death, Jean Piel put together a new team that included Roland Barthes on the editorial committee with Michel Deguy and Michel Foucault.

  * * *

  [June 24, 1959]

  Dear friend,

  Here is my text on Zazie.131 I’m afraid it may not be very clear, but I was pressed for time. Do you have something planned on the work of Edgar Morin?132 If not, I have the idea of starting on that project—but I haven’t spoken to him yet, I don’t trust myself.

  Best to you,

  R. Barthes

  I don’t need an offprint.

  * * *

  August 24, 1961

  Dear friend,

  Don’t apologize; it was up to me to write to you, to give you an answer, I recall that very well, but what can we do. To finish La Mode, I have to resume so many tasks that I’m still very tied up. Still, I want to try to do something for you quickly. There are three possibilities; choose according to your own plans:

  1) The Foucault.133 It’s a possibility, but Michel Foucault told me that Bélavel asked for the book, maybe to pair it with the Michaux?134 When in doubt I prefer to back off, not to deprive anyone of it, especially because I’m not qualified to discuss it.

  2) The Girard remains a possibility but my copy is in Paris, so that will delay things again.135

  3) I have my own idea for an article, but drawing its components from the books you’ve already mentioned—or probably already reserved. It would be something on description in literature. It could include:

  —Ricardou: Observatoire de Cannes;—Leiris: Nuits sans nuit;—Brosse: Ordre des choses;136—Robbe-Grillet: Été dernier à Marienbad137 (the text appeared in Tel Quel, which unfortunately I only have in Paris).bIt could be called something like “Description, space, language.”

  Tell me your choice soon. Warmly and faithfully yours,

  R. Barthes

  Urt, Basses-Pyrénées

  I don’t think I’ll return to Paris before September 20.

  * * *

  [September 3, 1961]

  Dear friend,

  Thank you for your letter and your mailing. I’ll hurry and read the Foucault carefully (it’s undoubtedly a very good book) and the Girard, and I’ll let you know very soon what I decide, since you’re leaving the choice to me. I’m really leaning toward the Foucault because I want to write an essay on literature and I don’t like burning through my cards! (I don’t have that many of them); but maybe the Girard, who verges a bit on my own formulation of things.… Well, in three or four days, I’ll write to you and start to work.

  Yours ever,

  R. Barthes

  * * *

  September 17, 1961

  Dear friend,

  I decided in the end to discuss Michel Foucault (here’s the text).138 I know you would have preferred something on literature, because you no doubt have plenty of philosophers to discuss a philosopher. But not only does this book present me with an exciting problem (that unfortunately I didn’t succeed very well in making clear in my text, but it’s done), but neither Girard nor Marienbad prompted enough ideas for me to write about them, not without spinning them out. The Girard is very strong, but for me fairly irritating and I don’t like getting involved in controversy, as least not in Critique.139 And Marienbad is beautiful but it would require taking up the whole question of Robbe-Grillet again, and for the moment I can’t be bothered with that. So there you have it. I hope there will be much less time between the texts I give you in the future. Forgive this long silence, the brevity of my text, and know I am faithfully yours.

  R. Barthes

  I’m returning this week.

  * * *

  [late 1963–early 1964]

  Dear friend,

  I received your note. As you know, I’m in Urt for a few days. I’m thinking of returning Wednesday and will then be available for the meeting you discuss; please telephone me as early as Thursday. I’d like to help you more than I do (which is, alas, none at all), but I can’t. Everything comes down to this: my life is too busy given the inherent slowness of my work; my output is too low in relation to demand, as modest as it is, and as much as I control it. A part of my life goes to Hautes Études and I can’t reduce that share: a weekly seminar to prepare and re-create each year (unlike university courses), articles for specialized reviews like Communications, theses to finish. And as minimal as it is, a part of my life goes to “literature”; and from time to time I have to write a preface here or there, each time (and it’s rare, I assure you) that I need my writing to be transformed into a bit of money. And with all
that, I have the increasingly urgent—and oppressive—feeling that I’m missing the essential part, which is for me to write something that I will crudely call my work. I don’t have pretensions; I admit that my personal dilemma lies in how slowly I write. I can’t do otherwise because it’s wisdom and maturity that bring me into alignment with this slowness. I must honestly tell you that I can’t promise you anything for Critique. I have a backlog of several months, which is absolutely imperative, and I can’t blindly add to it with promises that I can only honor by never undertaking. That situation must come to an end for me, because I feel like I’m exhausting myself in the inauthentic (I’ve just gone forty-eight hours, which may explain this language). I love Critique and I love you; that’s why I came to you. I don’t have to go on here, but there’s no question of me accepting in this agreement (which, alas, is not a competition) the least obligation (of an annual nature, as you mentioned). I admit (I do more than admit, I positively believe) that position is unsustainable; the uselessness of someone is never justified. Thus I think sooner or later I’ll have to consider stepping down, so that the reality of the committee coincides with its form, which is the just end of any enterprise! You’ll see, we’ll see when this can be done with as little fanfare as possible so as not to disrupt an already-diminished group. I want to avoid any upheaval at Critique, but basically there can be no ambiguity: any editorial participation exceeds what I can or want to do, and nevertheless, let’s be clear, that’s really the only way to help you.

  Once more, I’m not dramatizing or even resolving anything. We have time to rethink this and discuss it again. But I believe that the future of my participation is ineluctably negative.

  Until very soon, with all my faithful best wishes,

  R. Barthes

  * * *

  Paris, October 24, 1965

  Dear friend,

  Sollers asked me to propose to you this short text by him on Pleynet.140 Since the text is excellent, that makes it all the easier for me to do so. What do you think? Also, Wahl (François) is after me to find out where the Verstraeten is.141 Have you talked to him about corrections to make? And finally, I really must see you to discuss the Picard business with you.142 Without wanting to escalate it, I’ve almost decided to respond, but don’t know yet in what form or where. I’d love to get your advice on this. Could we see each other soon?