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

13 Pages·2017·0.35 MB·English

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
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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
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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