Translation as Alchemy: Julio Cortázar’s Transition From Poetic Imitation to Invention in “Tombeau de Mallarmé”

Abstract

This article examines the role of translation in Cortázar's work focusing on his early years as a writer, specifically on his 1969 poem and essay “Tombeau de Mallarmé”. It draws on Cortázar’s biography, especially his Julio Denis period, on correspondence, and on some of his literary criticism and discussions regarding translation. It argues that, while the Julio Denis period in Cortázar's work was characterized by a more imitative and conservative approach to writing, moving forward and largely through translation, as can be seen in his re-creation of Mallarmé’s poem in "Tombeau de Mallarmé" Cortázar redefines the poetic act. The alchemy-inspired conceptualization of translation and poetry he articulates in the essay “Tombeau de Mallarmé” illustrates how Cortázar’s shifting poetic understanding of imitation and originality shapes his varying attitudes towards translation and, conversely, the way in which translation leads to the emergence of his literary voice and style.