шш in review DISCOURSE OF THE OTHER - University of British ...

BOOKS IN REVIEWerly" bent is obvious in his verse (anaspect of his art to which Early doesmore than justice), the poet was likewisemasterful in handling the "musical" aspectsof his form.Early's commentaries upon Lampman'sbest-known works vary in theirvalue. The critic's treatment of "Heat"is adequate, but he fails to combine hisown good insights with those of previouscritics to synthesize a definitive interpretationof this rich and complex poem.Early might, for example, have pursuedmy own previous hints about the influenceon "Heat" of Coleridge's theoriesconcerning the imagination. The criticobviously dislikes "At the Long Sault. . . ," and to me he does this fine andmoving poem a major injustice in attemptingto dismiss it as conventionaland largely lacking in significance. Onthe other hand, Early's analysis of apiece he finds inspiring, "The City of theEnd of Things," is excellent. His treatmentof the poem in terms of psychologicalforces that shape civilizations is illuminatingindeed. He is less successful indealing with "The Frogs." He could havesaid more about the complex implicationsof the poem's central symbol (thefrogs for example combining a sexual/Dionysian with a spiritual/Apolloniansignificance), and have noted Lampman'sechoing of Tennyson's "The Lotos-Eaters."Archibald Lampman is by no meansunworthy as the first full-length study ofan important Canadian writer. The deficienciesof Early's work stem in partfrom a certain intellectual narrownessand naivete, and doubtless also from therestrictions of the Twayne format. Bothof these impediments to Early's expressionof his very real critical gifts canfortunately be remedied in the future.Early is capable of writing a major bookon Lampman, and it is to be hoped hewill do so after further thought andstudy.CONSERVATISMEJOHN OWERROBERT LALONDE, Une Belle journée d'avance.Seuil, $14.95.MONIQUE LAROUCHE-THIBAULT, Amorosa. Boréal,n.p.JACQUES SAVOIE, Le récif du prince. Boréal,$10.95.CES TROIS ROMANS étant parus presqueau même moment, et comportant encommun certains traits thématiques etstylistiques, on peut, avec prudence, leslire comme témoignant, dans une certainemesure, de l'état du roman québécoisde l'époque, voire des valeurs etquestions qui travaillaient alors la sociétéquébécoise. Le trait commun principalnous semble être — malgré l'apparentehardiesse de thèmes comme l'incesteet l'avortement — un conservatismeidéologique et stylistique: par certainsde leurs aspects thématiques ou stylistiquesces romans manifestent un attachementà des valeurs traditionnelles.Par exemple, Une Belle journée d'avanceet Le Récif du Prince comportentle thème de l'amour conjugal fortementvalorisé (on ne sait si le "je" et la "tu"du premier sont mariés, mais ils formentun couple qui tient à durer, puisqu'ilss'évertuent fort agréablement à fonderune famille). Tout dans Une Belle journéed'avance chante le couple "je" et"tu," son amour, son bonheur; mais aussiceux des parents du "je," Gertrude etMaurice, qui s'aimaient tant qu'ils onttenu à mourir ensemble. D'autres couplesdans ce roman (Rachel et Leopold, Malvinaet Sam) sont malheureux parcequ'ils n'ont pas su vivre l'amour et lebonheur conjugaux, fait qui valorise encoreceux-ci. Dans Le Récif du PrinceTania écrit une lettre à son mari Fran-169