Octavio Paz (1914-1998), the eminent Mexican poet and critic, attempted
to evaluate the neglected role of poetry in the twentieth century in
terms of a liberating, semi-religious vocation. Jason Wilson, in this
study, approaches Paz's poetics through his close relationship with
André Breton (1896-1966), the surrealist leader. This is a 'spiritual
biography' of a poet-thinker (Paz); a study of a fertile relationship
(Paz and Breton); a re-evaluation of surrealism itself and, finally, a
coping with those acute problems that all poets and readers of poetry
must face in an age lacking an acceptable cultural tradition: why write?
What is a poem? Who are the genuine poets? Who am I? Wilson analyses
Paz's reaction to these related concerns in the poet's examination of
'the values of poetry' in terms of a liberating poetics.