Heliogabalus: Or, the Crowned Anarchist [Paperback]

Antonin Artaud (Author), Alexis Lykiard (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2007

This title is a new edition of a classic. Antonin Artaud's novelised biography of the 3rd-century Roman Emperor, "Heliogabalus" is simultaneously his most accessible and his most extreme book. Written in 1933, at the time when Artaud was preparing to stage his legendary "Theatre of Cruelty", "Heliogabalus" is a powerful concoction of sexual excess, self-deification and terminal violence. Reflecting its author's preoccupations of the time with the occult, magic, Satan, and a range of esoteric religions, the book shows Artaud at his most lucid as he assembles an entire world-view from raw material of insanity, sexual obsession and anger. Artaud arranges his account of Heliogabalus's reign around the breaking of corporeal borders and the expulsion of body fluids, often inventing incidents from the Emperor's life in order to make more explicit his own passionate denunciations of modern existence. No reader of this, Artaud's most inflammatory work - translated into English here for the very first time - will emerge unscathed from the experience. It is translated by Alexis Lykiard (acclaimed translator of Lautreamont's "Maldoror") and with an introduction by Stephen Barber (author, "Artaud: Blows & Bombs"; "Artaud: The Screaming Body"; and "Caligula: Divine Carnage". It is first ever English translation of Antonin Artuad's classic "fictionalised biography" of decadence and corruption. It is provided with an introduction and cover endorsement by Stephen Barber. It is translated by Alexis Lykiard, acclaimed translator of Lautreamont's "Chants de Maldoror".

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Heliogabalus is Artaud's greatest and most revolutionary masterpiece: an incendiary work that reveals both the divine cruelty of the Roman Emperor and that of Artaud himself." - Stephen Barber"

About the Author

Antonin Artaud is one of the most deeply influential writers of the 20th Century, known for his invention of the Theater Of Cruelty.

Alexis Lykiard, Greek-born and living in England, is best known for his translation of Lautreamont’s Maldoror, a text now adopted in many US universities. He has translated several other classic works of Surrealism, including works by Celine, Apollinaire and Aragon.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Solar Books; Rev Tra edition (January 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971457808
• ISBN-13: 978-0971457805
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,621,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Book, April 13, 2007

By 

Micki P "Micki P" (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heliogabalus: Or, the Crowned Anarchist (Paperback)

This book is Antonin Artaud's prose-history of the emperor Heliogabalus in which he explores philosophically the world of sperm cults, sun-worship, castration rituals, sodomy and extravagant theatrics in which the child king rose to his bizarre and decadent reign. This book has only recently become available in the English language - a tremendous contribution for anglophone readers. Rest assured that Artaud's arcane poetry has been translated with mastery by Lykiard. An excellent read for anyone interested in themes of anarchy, mysticism, or avant-garde theater.

4 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars YAWN!, August 8, 2008

By 

C. Jones (Beaverton, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heliogabalus: Or, the Crowned Anarchist (Paperback)

If you buy this book, be prepared for DULL. Lots of boring filler about the religious landscape at the time and not that much content about Heliogabalus until the second half of the book. I actually tried to read this book but eventually gave up and turned to skimming it. It's now in the pile of books heading for the used book store.