Poetry and Community in the Work of José Ángel Valente

Abstract

This article examines the work of Spanish poet José Ángel Valente (1929-2000) in terms of his exploration of the relation between the poet, poetic language, and community. In it I discuss the tension in Valente’s work between a desire to create a language that would be foundational of community and the ethical commitment to alterity. I argue that the poetry of the second half of Valente’s career, which has been considered hermetic, or even solipsistic, can be read in terms of a contemporary philosophical discourse that seeks to think community in terms that are not exclusive of alterity.

Keywords

• Spanish Poetry, José Ángel Valente, Community, Antigone, Judith Butler, Roberto Esposito.