“Merdre!” Can you imagine that being the first word uttered on stage causing a riot? That’s the legacy of Alfred Jarry. Right here we stand on Rue Alfred Jarry. It’s a street that embodies the spirit of a true literary eccentric.
Alfred Jarry was a French writer. He is best known as the creator of Ubu Roi. The play premiered in Paris in 1896. Jarry was a forerunner of the Theatre of the Absurd. He wrote in a Surrealistic style. He even invented a pseudoscience called ‘pataphysique.
Jarry was a legend in his own lifetime. He brandished pistols and lived in cramped apartments. He was an obsessive cyclist. These elements created a powerful legend.
Jarry’s play Ubu Roi caused a stir. The audience was shocked by the new style. It was as if a modernist play had been dropped onto the stage. The play’s first word “Merdre!” shocked the audience. One reviewer said he needed a shower after seeing it.
Jarry’s attention to detail was remarkable. The backdrop for Ubu Roi was a collection of dreamlike images. It included a bedroom, a desert and a fireplace. Bats, an owl, an elephant and a skeleton hung from a gibbet.
Jarry’s sexuality is a difficult subject. His correspondence is mostly tight-lipped. He formed an intense friendship with Léon-Paul Fargue. Some believe Jarry considered himself homosexual. Later in life, he seemed to turn towards heterosexuality.
Jarry was a keen cyclist. He bought an expensive bike. The unpaid bill pursued him beyond the grave. His sister inherited the debt. Jarry died from a cold brought on by cycling in cold weather. He often cycled to Paris. That was a forty-mile ride. He frequently made the return journey in a single day.
His novel The Supermale features a race between a locomotive and a five-man bicycle. Jarry used to race the Paris train. He did this for seven miles. The track ran close enough to the road.
Jarry’s apartment reflected his extraordinary personality. His first Paris residence was known as “Dead Man’s Calvary”. The walls were decorated with Catholic paraphernalia. His beloved pet owls flew free.
He later lived on the Boulevard Saint-Germain. He put on marionette shows for friends. Most remarkable was the apartment where Jarry spent the last 10 years of his life. It was on floor “2 and a half”. The landlord subdivided each floor laterally. Few could stand without crouching.
Towards the end, Jarry was barely able to leave his exotic mezzanine. He stalked the streets of Paris. He pursued a programme of self-destruction. He was paralysed, penniless and almost starved. Friends took him to the hospital. But it was too late. He died on All Souls Day in 1907.
Alfred Jarry’s life was as absurd and unconventional as his art. Rue Alfred Jarry stands as a reminder of his unique vision. His influence can still be felt today. He challenged norms and embraced the absurd. Jarry left a lasting mark on literature and art.