Breton and the Surrealist Split pt. 1

The cover of the book I used to study and analyze Breton's Manifestoes!

To understand the surrealist split, a little background might be helpful for us common folk. In my opinion, as well as Matthew Witkovsky’s, Dada was the start of Andre Breton's restless avant-garde formation (otherwise known as surrealism). In order to follow these proceeding thoughts, I ask you to view Dadaism and Surrealism as overlapping movements. (Rather than Dadaism leading to Surrealism, the two share a common space. Melanie thinks so too! Read her post to see the two movements' relationship!) However, despite these movements' similar characteristics of spontaneity and resistance to any form of regulation, Breton seemingly wanted to create and declare his own artistic rebellion. (This is hypocritical we will soon see, considering Breton critiques the common “incurable mania of wanting to make the unknown, known, classifiable.” [Manifesto of Surrealism 9]). Perhaps it might be best to begin the story and analysis of “Breton and the Surrealist Split” like a trial in court. I’ll analyze each manifesto individually, and then explain my take on this contradictory conflict.

Something to keep in mind in regards to the first manifesto: "No rules exist, and examples are simply life-savers answering the appeals of rules making vain attempts to exist." -Andre Breton

A French copy of the first manifesto (everything looks cooler in French...hmmm why is that?)

Surrealism can be defined as “the true functioning of thought” and exists in a state of limitless imagination (Nadeau 89). Andre Breton and his posse attack realism on the basis that it is “hostile to any intellectual and moral advance” (Nadeau 87). The purpose of his 1924 Manifesto of Surrealism is to explain the basic tenets of surrealism and to advocate its applicability. Breton critiques the “realistic” attitude for its “lusterless fate” and “clarity bordering on stupidity” (Manifesto of Surrealism 1, 6). I must confess that I appreciate his honesty-for the most part. How else is he going to grab the attention of the avant-garde in a time where movements are popping up left and right? However, he continues to bash on the idea of “living under the reign of logic,” which as a result makes me turn on my breaks (Manifesto of Surrealism 6). As mentioned previously, Breton despises classification and human’s obsession with organization, however my question is: Then what is he doing that is so radically different in his manifesto? Isn’t he writing a public declaration of ORGANIZED thoughts, in which he CLASSIFIES them into segments? (Clearly these manifestoes are not written in experimentation with spoken thought. I’ll touch more on this in 3…2…) Meanwhile, he continues to praise Freud and his theory on dreams because despite the notion that only our conscious actions matter, what we do in our sleep is just as important too. (After I read this in his manifesto I am embarrassed to admit that I am one of those people who could care less about what happens in my slumber. Who remembers their dreams from two nights ago? I can’t even recall mine from last night!) I think one of the most important concepts to remember in reference to Manifesto of Surrealism is that it advocates lifting the chains off of your unconscious. (When was the last time any of us expressed what we REALLY thought, right when we felt it?) In the section “Secrets of the Magical Surrealist Art” within the manifesto, he is persistent on experimenting with spoken thought. While he recommends to “write quickly, without any preconceived subject; fast enough so that you will not remember what you’re writing and be tempted to reread what you have written,” I can’t help but ask myself how this method of writing is “surreal” if we are consciously following Breton’s instructions (Manifesto of Surrealism 29-30)? Read Kara’s post for more on this! The first manifesto ends with a statement I find relevant to the second. He declares, “surrealism does not allow those who devote themselves to forsake it whenever they like” (Manifesto of Surrealism 35). This idea will be a core motivator and a foreshadowing statement for Breton’s second manifesto, in which he SLAMS some of the ancestors of surrealism for abandoning their commitment to the movement.

-Alexa Hankard

(All bibliographical information can be found on my second post!)