Alfred Jarry
Alfred Jarry: The Father of Pataphysics
==============================================
Full Name and Common Aliases
Alfred Jean Marie Jarry was a French playwright, novelist, poet, and illustrator. He is commonly known as the founder of Pataphysics, a philosophical movement that emphasizes the absurd and the illogical.
Birth and Death Dates
Jarry was born on September 8, 1873, in Laval, Mayenne, France. He passed away on November 20, 1907, at the age of 34 due to complications from tuberculosis.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Jarry was a French national and worked as a playwright, novelist, poet, and illustrator throughout his career.
Early Life and Background
Alfred Jarry grew up in a family of modest means. His father, Jean-Marie Jarry, was an accountant, and his mother, Alphonsine Chanteur, was a seamstress. From a young age, Jarry showed a keen interest in writing and the arts. He attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Laval but dropped out at the age of 16 to pursue a career in literature.
Major Accomplishments
Jarry's most notable contribution to the literary world is his creation of Pataphysics, a philosophical movement that he described as "the science of imaginary solutions." He believed that conventional logic and reason were insufficient for understanding the complexities of life and sought to create a new way of thinking that emphasized the absurd and the illogical.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Jarry's most notable works include:
"Ubu Roi" (1896), a play that is considered one of the first examples of Dadaism.
"Les Minutes de sabbat" (1902), a collection of short stories that showcase his interest in the absurd and the supernatural.
"Le Voleur d'amour" (1904), a novel that explores themes of love, desire, and mortality.
Jarry was also known for his illustrations, which often featured fantastical creatures and surreal landscapes.
Impact and Legacy
Alfred Jarry's impact on the literary world cannot be overstated. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of Dadaism and Surrealism, two major art movements of the 20th century. His emphasis on the absurd and the illogical has influenced generations of writers, artists, and thinkers.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Jarry's quotes are widely remembered for their wit, humor, and insight into the human condition. Some of his most famous quotes include:
"Pataphysics is the science of imaginary solutions."
"Ubu Roi is not a play, it's an event."
"The absurd is not something that happens to us, but rather something that we are."
Jarry's legacy continues to inspire artists, writers, and thinkers today. His emphasis on the absurd and the illogical remains as relevant now as it was during his lifetime.
As we continue to navigate the complexities of life, Jarry's words offer a powerful reminder of the importance of embracing the unknown and challenging conventional wisdom.
Quotes by Alfred Jarry
Papa Ubu: Yes, gentlemen, but however beautiful it may be, it can’t compare with Poland. Because if there weren’t any Poland, there wouldn’t be any Poles!
The military hospital is the most cheerful of militaty buildings because there are so few uniforms inside.
One can show one’s contempt for the cruelty and stupidity of the world by making of one’s life a poem of incoherence and absurdity.
Pataphysics will be, above all, the science of the particular, despite the common opinion that the only science is that of the general. Pataphysics will examine the laws governing exceptions, and will explain the universe supplementary to this one; or, less ambitiously, will describe a universe which can be – and perhaps should be – envisaged in the place of the traditional one.
It is one of the great joys of home ownership to fire a pistol in one’s own bedroom.
Dieu est le point tangent de ze ro et de l’infini. God is the tangential point of zero and the infinite.