Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte de Lautréamont

Description

Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte de Lautréamont, translated by Alexis Lykiard, is a seminal work of 19th-century French literature that defies conventional narrative and moral structures. Written by Isidore Ducasse under the pseudonym Comte de Lautréamont, the text is a surreal, violent, and poetic exploration of evil, rebellion, and the grotesque. The centerpiece, Les Chants de Maldoror, follows its enigmatic, misanthropic protagonist, Maldoror, as he engages in blasphemous and sadistic acts, challenging societal norms and religious dogma. The work is known for its darkly lyrical prose, vivid imagery, and dreamlike, often nightmarish, sequences. The collection also includes Lautréamont’s later Poems, which contrast with Maldoror by embracing a more optimistic and structured approach to art and philosophy. Lykiard’s translation preserves the intensity and complexity of the original, making it a definitive English edition of this influential and transgressive masterpiece.