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Mythological Allusions and Classical Names in Michel Butor's "L'Emploi du temps" PDF

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Literary Onomastics Studies Volume 12 Article 5 1985 Mythological Allusions and Classical Names in Michel Butor's "L'Emploi du temps" Betty J. Davis Brooklyn College, City University of New York Follow this and additional works at:http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/los Part of theFrench and Francophone Literature Commons Repository Citation Davis, Betty J. (1985) "Mythological Allusions and Classical Names in Michel Butor's "L'Emploi du temps","Literary Onomastics Studies: Vol. 12 , Article 5. Available at:http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/los/vol12/iss1/5 This Conference Paper is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @Brockport. It has been accepted for inclusion in Literary Onomastics Studies by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @Brockport. For more information, please [email protected]. LOS 2.5 MYTHOLOGICAALL LUSIONSA ND CLASSICALN AMES IN MICHELB U':O:R'S L'EI•iPLOI DU TEMPS getty J. Davis BrooklynC ollege The City Universityo f New York Amongt hem anyd eviceMsi cheBlu tours esi nL 'Emplodiu t emps top resenat c omplevxi ewo fa dualistuinci verasree a llusiotnos legendosf classicaanlt iquiatnyd t o worokfs a rt. Int hen ovel, JacqueRse vela, y oungFr enchman, hfiemeslesli fs olataendd l ost inB lestoan ,m oderni ndustricailt yi n EnglandR.e velw,h osfei rm hass enth imt oB lestotno s penodn ey earw orkinfgo ra nE nglish exporcto mpanayt,t ributheissf eelinogfs h opelessness and alienatitoont he nefariinofulsu enocfe t hec ityw,h icbhe comes forh ima mythologiacdavle rsary. Blestoins t hea ntithesoifs Reveild'esa olf a warm, classiccaolu ntrsyu,c ha sG reeceC,r eteo,r R omew,i th pure watert,r ansparaeinrt, a nda clearb,l ues,u nlistk y.I ti s dark, cold, raibnlya,c kwisifhto,hu l-smellwiantge arn d smoke-filalierd. Blestoins ana nti-Greienc weh ich the classicealle menatrse d eformaendd c overewdi tht hiclka yers ofp aintd,i rto,r g rime.R eveolb servtehsa tt heD oricco lumns of the trasitna tioanr e" sic ouvertde'se corncoei rqeu 'elles fontp ensear d esf utsd ec oniferreess tedse bouatp res l'incendie LOS 26 del af oreett l 'effondredmeel netu rs parhtaiuetse s("" soc overed withb lacckr ustth att heym akey out hinokf t het runkosf evergreelnesf ts tandianfgt ear foresfti rea ndt hec ollapse 1 oft heiurp pepra rts").H e alsom entiotnhse b lackenieodn ic columnosf t heB lestoMnu seumo fF ineA rts( p.6 9)a ndt hep illared porcohf h ish otelc,o verewdi tha thiccko ato fw hitispha int (p.1 9).I nc ontrasitn,t heN ewsT heater,p laac ree flectitnhge longed-froera litoyf G reeceC,r etea,n dR omei nt het ravelogues itp rojecwtese ka ftewre ekt,h ec olumnasr ec overewdi th mirror(sp .1 01). Thec ityo fB lestoanp pearisn mainnyc arnationSsh.e i sa femaleen chantresCsi:r ceM,e deat,h eM edusaR.e vefle eltsh ath e mustt earh imselafw ay frBolme stofnr,o mt hatC ircaen dh erd ark enchantmenitnso ,r detro r egaihni sh umafno rm( p.1 15)f,o r Blestohna dt ransforhmiemdj usta sC irce chaUnlgyesds emse'n i nto animalsH.e i mplies tihta itsh erj ealouwshyi cshe paratheidm fromt hew omahne lov(epd. 2 44).H e alsoi dentifiBelse stowni th Medeian r eferencteost heb lacpkh iawli thw hicMhe dewai shetdo poisoyno unTgh eseu(sp .1 57a)n dh isd escriptioofnt sh ew ater ofB lestoans blacakn dp oisonouBsl.e stownh,i cRhe vecla lls "terribvliel le-laqruveej eh ais"( "terribllaer va-ciwthyi ch I hate"()p .2 52)i,s a lsop icturaesda hydra( aw ateorr marshs erpenkti lled Hbeyr culeass)w ella so thedra ngerous water-dwell(epr.2s 4 4). LOS 27 Blestofno,r R eveli,s a modern-deaqyu ivaloefnt th eC retan labyrinitnhw ,h ichhe s eektso oriheinmts eblyfm eanosf v arious guidesso,m ei nh umafno rms,o me tihne f ormo fd ocumentRse.v el's firsgtu idies a coworkeJra,m eJse nkinwsh,o h asl iveadl lh isl ife inB lestownh,o ,i nf acth,a sn evebre eno utsitdhee c ity.I nm any waysJ,e nkinissr epresentatitvhees poifr iotf B lestoann,d t he placetso w hichhe g uideRse verle fletchte u ndesiraqbulael ities oft hec ity.A fteRre vealr rivefso,r e xamplJee,n kintsak ehsi m toa hotecla lletdh eE cro(ut hneu t,a si n" nutasn db olts"")a, 2 wordi,n F rencrhe,f erringa cotmmoi tmetnot ja"il.T her oomi s smalaln dd ark.I th asn ot ablea,n dt hew indolwo okosu to ntoa wall borfi ckast t hee ndo f cao urtya(rpd.2 0).S ensitnhge destructive qoufta hleir toyo mR,e vesla yst oh imself":j en ep uis pasr esteirc i,j en e dopiass r esteirc i,j es uis perdjue r essit e ici,d esd emaijne v aism ettreen q uetde' unl ogememneti lleur" ("Ic annostt ayh ereI; m ustn ots tayh ereI; aml osti fI stayh ere; tomorrIo a\4m g ointgo b egimny s earcfho ra betteprl acteo l ive") (p.2 0).H iss earcfho ra rowohm iccha ns ervaes a sanctuaarnyd a rampaargta instth ed estructive offot rhcece ist yw illb et he firsetx pressoifoR ne vel'qsu estto f indh imself moonrceae s w ell ash isi nitiatiinotno tmheea nianngd m ysterioefst heB lestonian labyrinth. Revel'fisr sdto cumentgauriyd teo t hec ityi sa map,r eally twom apso,n es howitnhge b usl ineasn do neg ivintgh en ameosf LOS2 8 thes treetwsh,i cRhe vemlu sts uperimpoonseue p ont heo therj,u st. ast hem ultipilnet erpretaotfit ohnesc itya ndt hem ultiprloel es played byc htahrea ctienrt sh en ovealr es uperimpoosneeu dp on anothejru,s ta st hep asta ndt hep resewnitl lb es uperimpoosneed upona nothaern da so thecri tiewsi llb es uperimpoosnBe lde ston, asR omew illb eo nP ariisn B utor'last enro velL,a M odification. Revele'xsp eriewniclela ddr ealittyot hel abyrinthliianneo sn the mapsh eh asc hosetnh,o ugehv ent hem apR eveclo nstrufcotrsh imself willc ontagianp sa ndu nexplored terarsid tooersty h,em apo f Bleston giinvt ehne froofnL t' Empldouit emps. Aftesre vemno nthosf d isorientaatniddo ens pondenRceyv,e l burntsh em apo fB lestosny,m bolicamlulryd eritnhgec ity.H et hen feelism pellteodb uya notheird entictaotl h ef irsatn dt oc onsign hise xperientcoep sa per.B yw ritinhge,h opetso f indh imself agaiinn t heB lestonliaabny rinatnhdt or ecovferro mh isf eelings ofl assitude and deHpirsew sosridotsno .h ima rel ikeA riadne's threawda st oT heseiunst heC retalna byrint"hc:e c ordodne phraseesst u nf ild 'Ariapnaer cqeu ej es uisd ansun labyrinthe, parcqeu ej 'ecrpiosu rm 'yr etrouver, cteosul tiegsn eest anlte s marques jdeoj natl onnlee st rajedtesj ar econnulse,l a byrinthe dem esj ouras B lestoinn,c omparablpelmuesdn etr outaqnutel e palaidse C retep,u isqu'si'la ugmean tmee surqeu ej el ep arcoure, puisqu'sield eforma em esurqeu ej e l'expl(o"rteh"is st rinogf sentenciessa nA riadnet'hsr eabde cauIs ea mi na labyrinth, becausIe w ritteo findm yselfa,l lt heslei nebse intgh ema rksw ith whichI indicatthee p athasl readkyn ownt,h el abyrinotfhm yd ays inB lestoinn,c omparambolryem isleaditnhga nt heC retapna lace sinciet g rowlsa rgears I exploriet ")( p.1 87). Reveflo untdh em eaninogf h iss tayi nB lestonno to nlyi n writtedno cumenatnsd t hrougthh ei ntermedioafr yt hoasreo unhdi m, buta lsoi nc ontemplatainndig n terpretwionrgk osf a rta ndb y drawinpga rallels betweewno rktashn odsh ei so wns ituatioAnf.t er havinbge eni nB lestofno ro vera monthR,e vewla sc alletdo p olice headquartteoro sb taiann identictayr d( p.6 9).W hilew aiting forh isp icturteosb ed evelopehde,v isitetdh eB lestoMnu seum ofF ineA rts.T herhee s awf ort hef irst ttihmeee ighteen tapestrireesc ountitnhgel egenodf T heseuwsh icwho ulrde veal to himh isi dentiitnyt hem ythological frhaem weowuolrdk construfcotr h imself. SincRee vehla dn og uideboaonkd s incteh erwee ren o signosn thew alltso i ndlcatthee s ubjecotfst hei ndividutaalp estrihees , atf irsrte cognizoendl y vagujeulsyto nes cenet,h eo new hichs howed Theseussl ayintgh eM inotaurI.t w aso nlyl atetrh ath ew asa blet o given ametso t hes ceneisn t het apestribeust,s incRee vel's descripticoonrsr espondh istp os ychologipcraelo ccupations and sincteh ed escriptiaorness cattertehdr oughotuhteb ooki,t i s difficuflotr t her eadetro h avea compleitdee ao ft hec ontenatn d thed ispositoifot nh et apestriienst hemu seu.m. Thes cenwei th LOS) 0 Theseussl ayintgh eM inotaiusrt hee leventh piannt ehlef ifth roomh,e s ays.H en otetsh ath ew as drawn inittoip aalnleylt sw o, threef,o ura,n df ivew,h icshh oweTdh eseuasp proachAitnhge nasn d hisv ictorioevse rS innisS,c ironC,e rcyoann,d P rocrustfeosu,r criminawlhsi cihn festtehde c ountrysibdeec,a usteh et rees represendtuerdi ntgh ef ours easonosf t hey earw eres o obviously inspirbeyd t hosoef t heI led e Franc(ep p.7 0-71). JameJse nkinRse,v el'cso workepro,i nteodu ta ne ssential characteriosftt ihce t apestrieTsh.e ya lld epictaecdt ions whiclha stefdo ra certaitni me( p.2 11).Ta pestnruym beorn e, "TheC hildhooofdT heseusf,o"r e xample, rectohuens tteodr oyf Aethraw,i feo fA egeuasn dm otheorf T heseufsr,o mt het imes he fled wihtehry ouncgh iludn tiTlh eseuhsa,v ing reaacdhoelde scence, lefth ist utowri tha daggears p roooff h isi dentittyh,e d agger withw hichhe w oulkdi llS innisa, s ono fP oseidownh,o t ore travelletrosp iecebsy b endindgo wnp ineasn dt hen suddenly lettintgh emg o;S cironw,h of orcetdr avellehres hardo bbed tow ashh isf eeta ndt henk icketdh emi ntot hes ea,w heraen immenset ortoidseev ourtehde mC;e rcyoann,o thesro no f Poseidon, whoc ompellpeads serstboyw restlwei thh ima ndt hent iedt hem tot rees, whheil ceht g os ot hatt heyw oulbde r ippeadp art; Procrustwehso,l aidh isg uestosn h isb eda nd,i ft heyw eret oo shorts,t retchtehde mt of it,a nd,i ft ool ongc,u to ffa sm uch oft heilri mbass n ecessatroy ma ke thems horetn ought;h e LOS 31. Pallanti(dPeasl lawsh,oh add eprivheids b rothoerft het hrone, andh isf iftgyi gantsiocn s)a;n dt heM inotausro,no fP asiphae, queeonf C retea,n da bulla, m onstweirt ht heh eado fa bulla nd theb odyo fa man,h ouseidn t heC retalna byrinth. Numbesri xp ortray"eTdh eseRuesc ognibzyeH di sF athera, " tapestirnyw hicAhe geurse cognihziesds oni nt imet os aveh im fromd rinkitnhge p oisownh icMhe deaw,h omA egeuhsa dm arried afteJra sobne trayheedr ,h ada dvisehdi mt og ivet ot hes tranger, whoms heh adr ecognized1 57(p)..A f terre flectoinnt gh ee ncounter ofO edipuansd T heseiunst hes eventeepnatnhe l, Rceavmeetl o understtahnadtt hem eetionfgt hek ingosf T hebeasn dA thenwsa s inevitablBeo.t ha sc hildrweenr ei gnoraonftt heibri rthB.o th killemdo nstewrhsi ch inftehsetc eodu ntrysiBdoet.hs olved riddlesB.o thk illetdh eifra therTsh,e seunso,t w itha sword, butt hroungehg ligenfcoerh, e f orgotto c hangteh eb lacska ilt o a whitoen ew henh er eturnferdo mC rete afhtaevri nsgl aitnh e MinotauBro.t hw eref orcetdo l eavteh eikri ngdoamnsd d iedi n exile (1p7p3.- 174T)h.ee ighth tahnedn intpha nelpsi cturtehde abductioofnH se leann dJ\n tiope( p.1 56). A tortoiisnet heT hesetuasp estraipepse arasm ontgh ose evilf orces--SiCnenrics,y on,P raoncdr ustes--twehairmc ehn apar(tp p.1 55-157T)h.a t tortaonidos teh erisn t heb ooka re relatebdyt heisrh ape tthoeh exagonnaultw hicwha st hee mblem oft he Ecrtohuep, r ison-lhioktee wlh ere Resvpeelnh ti sf irst LOS3 2 unhapwpeye kisn B lestodnu,r inwgh ichhe ,a nu nfortuntartaev eller, feltt hath ew asb eindge stroybeydt hee vilf orceosf t hec ity. Reverle turnasg aiann da gaitno t hem useuamn dt oh is personianlt erpretaotfit ohnest apestrieBsyt. h et imeh iss tay inB lestdorn awtso a closeh,e h ass ucceediendi nterweavtihneg scenepso rtrayiendt hee ighteteanp estrainedst hep eoplaen d eventisn h is own lHiefh ei.m seilsfT heseusH.i sF rencfhr iend Lucieins a younpgr incPei,r ithowuhso,,i nt apestnruym ber fifteedne,s cenwdist hT hesetuost heu nderwotrolc da rroyf f Persephoanneda, l soD ionysiunst het welftwhh,o s eesA riadne abandonwehde nh ec omeass horaet N axo(sp .1 73).R evelA'rsi adne isA nn Baileys,o lwdh hiomt hes heetosf w hitpea pewrh icwhe ret o becomhei sw eapoang ainBslte stohni,s t hreatdo f indh isw ayo uto f theB lestonliaabny rintAhn.n 'yso ungesri steRro set,o w homR evel turneda ftehra vinfgi rslto veAdn n,i sh isP haedrAar,i adne's youngesri sterwh,o mT hesemuasr rieadft er haavbianngd onAerdi adne. UnlikTeh eseuRse,v ewli lll oseb othh isA riadnaen dh isP haedra becauosfeh isp reoccupawtiitohtn h em ytho fB leston. Event hougRhe vel'ssea rcfho rt hem eanionfgh ise xperiences inB lestwoans cosotnla y p ersonlaelv elh,i sg radudails covery oft hes ignificaonftc hee t apestrsiheosw ehdi mt hev aluoef f inding one'osw ni nterpretaotfia o wno rko fa rta ndt hed angeorf r elying tooh eaviolnyw rittseonu rcesR.e vedli dn oto btaian c atalogue describtihnegt apestruinetsi hle h ada lreabdeyg utno p enetrate LOS.3 .3 theimre aninogn h iso wn.H et henw ondered":Q uem 'auraiednitt alorcse sq uelquleisg neism primeeBsi?e nl oind e m'aidear penetrdearn sl ed omaincei rconscprairtl esd ix-hupiatr tedse lainej,e croiqsu 'ellme'se ne ussenat t outj amaiisn terdli'ta cces, car,s ansm emee na pprecilearv aleurj,e l esa uraissa nsd oute jugeessu ffisan.te.s .je nes eraipse ut-etre jraemvaeinsdu a ns II cess alle.s ("Whawto ultdh esfee wp rinteldi nehsa ves aid to me then?F arf rom helpmienp ge netratthee d omaicni rcumscribed by thee ighteweono ledno orsI, b elievteh att heyw oulfd orever havef orbiddtehne iarc cestso me,f or,w ithouetv ena ppreciating theirv alueI, w oulndo d oubhta vej udgetdh ems uffici.en.t . I. woulpde rhapnse vehra ver eturnetdo t hesreo om.s . ".) (p1.5 6). Revesle esa nothemra nifestatoifot nh em eaninogf t hec ity ando ft he rolep lhaeyi sn a stained glass dewpiincdtoiwtn hge murdeorf A bel hbiys b rotheCra inl ocateidn B lestonO'lsd Cathedraanld d escribiendt heo peninpga ragraopfh L e Meurtre de Blcsto(nTl�- Murdeorf B lestona) d,e tectisvteo ryw hich serveads o neo fh isg uidetso t hec ity.H e is ablet o link Caint o Theseubse causoef s imilaritiinet sh ea rtistpiocr trayal oft het wo.T hes tainegdl aswsi ndoswh owts hem urderoefrA bel ina form-fittbirnega stplwaitteh r ibbonfsl oationngh ist highs likeT heseuisn t het apestriaelsm,o sitn t hes amea ttituadse Theseufsi ghtitnh�e N inotaubre,n t ovleirk e him, hiwsil tehf t rooto n thec hesotf hisv ictiomn theg roundw,h o\. a.•sl iftinhgi s

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Brooklyn College, City University of New York Davis, Betty J. (1985) "Mythological Allusions and Classical Names in Michel Butor's "L'Emploi du
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