Compositions and notes, 1936-2007
Scope and Contents
Series I has been arranged into three sub-series: monographs, articles, and notes. The compositions by Blanchot start with a group of drafts of monographs or groups of articles that were organized and published as monographs, and articles. Notes includes mainly typed notes on the work and thought of others, organized by Blanchot.
The compositions include books such as: Aminadab, L'Amitié, L'Arrêt de mort , L'attente l'oubli, Au moment voulu, Lautréamont et Sade, Chronique, Le dernier mot, L'Écriture du désastre, L'Entretien infini, L'espace littéraire, La pas au déla, and Thomas Obscur, among others. The compositions also include a variety of articles written by Blanchot, some of which might have later been included in monographs, but which were found amongst the article drafts and thus remain in this series. There is a significant group of articles related to the work of Blanchot’s friend and colleague Emmanuel Levinas, including writings by both Blanchot and Levinas and notes on these. Many of the composition drafts or partial drafts, including both monographs and articles, include handwritten notes and corrections by Blanchot. There are also a few works that are not identified, but are assumed to be drafts or partial drafts by Blanchot. The notes are primarily Blanchot’s typed and detailed notes on the writings and work of other philosophers, artists, historians, literary figures, and others. There are groups of notes on Hegel, Heidegger, and Kafka, all of which were found already grouped together. Some of the notes are identified only by the subject’s initials, while some are fully unidentified.
Dates
- Creation: 1936-2007
Language of Materials
The majority of the collection is in French. A small number of materials are in German and English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
This collection is shelved offsite. Retrieval requires advance notice. Check with Houghton Public Services staff.
Extent
28.25 linear feet (29 boxes)Arrangement
This series has been arranged into three sub-series: Monographs, Articles, and Notes. These materials were formerly arranged by "files," loose groupings of materials that were found together when the collection was gathered after Maurice Blanchot's death, but did not have intellectual connections. All materials in series I have been sorted into the appropriate series.
Physical Location
Harvard Depository
Repository Details
Part of the Houghton Library Repository
Houghton Library is Harvard College's principal repository for rare books and manuscripts, archives, and more. Houghton Library's collections represent the scope of human experience from ancient Egypt to twenty-first century Cambridge. With strengths primarily in North American and European history, literature, and culture, collections range in media from printed books and handwritten manuscripts to maps, drawings and paintings, prints, posters, photographs, film and audio recordings, and digital media, as well as costumes, theater props, and a wide range of other objects. Houghton Library has historically focused on collecting the written record of European and Eurocentric North American culture, yet it holds a large and diverse number of primary sources valuable for research on the languages, culture and history of indigenous peoples of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
Houghton Library’s Reading Room is free and open to all who wish to use the library’s collections.
Harvard Yard
Harvard University
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2440
Houghton_Library@harvard.edu