French Literary Theorist Gérard Bucher Named To Melodia Jones Chair At UB

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- "…without risking exaggerations, I will say that I have read no other work of quite the importance of this one in the 20th century."

Philosopher and translator Georges Bernard is speaking of the book "La testament poétique" by Gérard Bucher, a scholar of international distinction in French and German literatures and philosophy.

A professor in the University at Buffalo Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, Bucher has been named to the university's Melodia Jones Chair in French through August 2002.

By stipulation of the Jones endowment, the chair, which was established by Jones herself in 1932, can be awarded only to an outstanding French-born scholar. In keeping with that dictate, it has been held by 50 of the most distinguished French or Francophone writers, philosophers and literary scholars of their time.

Among them are André Maurois (1940-41), Michel Butor (1962-63), Jacques Roger (1968-69), Michel Foucault (1970 and 1972), Jacques Derrida (1975), Michel Serres (1982-86), literary scholar Roland Le Huenen (1986-94) and most recently, SUNY Distinguished Professor Raymond Federman.

"The remarkable trajectory of his scholarly work over the last decade has brought him international attention as he fully emerged among the ranks of major literary scholars," says Kerry Grant, dean of the UB College of Arts and Sciences, of which Bucher's department is a part.

Calling Bucher "a leading force in French studies at UB," Grant notes that he has directed a dozen doctoral dissertations and has taught a wide variety of graduate seminars on 19th- and 20th-century French literature and thought. He has served as the program's director of graduate studies many times, frequently directed the SUNY program in Grenoble, France, and organized several major international conferences in his field.

His new position calls for Bucher to coordinate the use of funds that accompany the chair for the university's enrichment programs in French and Francophone literature, theory and culture.

He also will promote both advanced studies in French at UB and the long-term development of the French section of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, a cause to which he has devoted himself since he joined the faculty in 1971.

With Charles Bernstein, David Gray Professor in the Department of English, he is organizing a spring interdisciplinary conference, "Poetics of Origin," and is discussing additional conferences with the Department of Comparative Literatures on French feminism (Spring 2000) and the literature of mourning (Spring 2001).

Bucher adds that he also expects "our French room," a room in Clemens Hall on the UB North (Amherst) Campus where students can gather and watch a special television channel from France and Francophone countries, to open next semester.

Bucher's scholarly work of the past 30 years is completely original and has been published in two books since 1989: "La vision et l'énigme" and "Le testament poétique." A third -- "L'imagination de l'origine" -- is about to be published by Éditions l'Harmattan Collection, and a fourth book is in preparation.

Bucher draws upon the influential European traditions of philosophy and literary theory to explore the enigmatic, mythopoetic origins of the poetic act and to offer a "thanatogenic" reading of some of the major figures of French letters, including Baudelaire and Proust. The critical praise accorded his work so far is extraordinary by any standard.

Michel Deguy of the University of Paris IV calls Bucher, "…one of those Orphic figures whose scrutinizing gaze reaches deep into the abyss of what has forever been lost...and who brings back to daylight a Euridice, indeed aletheic (that is, retrieved from Lethe or oblivion), but who may vanish as (the daylight) appears."

Bucher himself says: "It has been a challenge to me for many years to develop something original that would have meaning for the 21st century. My concern is that it not be just an intellectual exercise, but an attempt to produce something meaningful for the long term."

The very difficult task of producing original concepts is one he has tackled over the past 30 years. Because his books have not been translated into English and all have been published within the past 10 years -- two since 1994 -- Bucher says a "general" discussion of his work has not yet begun, particularly in the U.S.

So far, however, his books have drawn critical acclaim, particularly in Quebec.

For instance, Lawrence Schehr, writing in the journal L'Esprit Créatur (The Creative Spirit), said of "La vision de l'énigme:" "(This) book analyzes so many phenomena of the human existence that is...impossible to give a summary."

Bucher completed courses of study in French and German literatures and philosophy at the Sorbonne and the University of Tübingen, respectively, which led to what is referred to as "the first doctorate" in 1974. According to European academic custom, he completed a second dissertation and was awarded the French Doctorat d'État, with highest distinction, in 1987.