Dadaist poetry is made of term “Dada” emerged in the early 20th century, amidst the social and political upheaval of World War I. Its precise origin remains shrouded in playful ambiguity, with various accounts suggesting it was chosen at random from a dictionary or derived from the French word “dada,” meaning “hobbyhorse.” Regardless of its exact etymology, “Dada” embodies the movement’s rejection of traditional artistic values and rationalism, embracing absurdity, spontaneity, and the nonsensical. This deliberate lack of definitive meaning highlights Dadaism’s anti-establishment stance, challenging conventional interpretations and provoking viewers and readers to question the very foundations of art and society.
Concepts of Dadaist Poetry in English Poetry
Concept
Description
Sound Poetry
Emphasizes the sonic qualities of language over semantic meaning, often incorporating nonsensical sounds and rhythms.
Chance Operations
Employs random or arbitrary methods, such as cutting up words and rearranging them, to create poems.
Nonsense Verse
Features absurd, illogical, or nonsensical language and imagery.
Collage and Montage
Combines disparate fragments of text or images to create new and unexpected juxtapositions.
Anti-War and Anti-Art
Rejects traditional artistic conventions and expresses opposition to war and social injustice.
Spontaneity and Play
Celebrates improvisation, spontaneity, and playful experimentation with language and form.
Dadaist Manifesto
A statement of Dadaist principles, often written in a provocative and nonsensical style.
Major Principles of Dadaist Poetry
Principle
Description
Example
Sound Poetry
Emphasizes the sonic qualities of language over semantic meaning, often incorporating nonsensical sounds and rhythms.
“Karawane” by Hugo Ball
Chance Operations
Employs random or arbitrary methods, such as cutting up words and rearranging them, to create poems.
“The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot (partially influenced by Dadaism)
Nonsense Verse
Features absurd, illogical, or nonsensical language and imagery.
“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll (though predating Dadaism, embodies its spirit)
Collage and Montage
Combines disparate fragments of text or images to create new and unexpected juxtapositions.
“The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even” by Marcel Duchamp (a visual poem)
Anti-War and Anti-Art
Rejects traditional artistic conventions and expresses opposition to war and social injustice.
“Readymade” sculptures by Marcel Duchamp (e.g., “Fountain”)
Spontaneity and Play
Celebrates improvisation, spontaneity, and playful experimentation with language and form.
Cabaret Voltaire performances (improvised sound poetry, dance, and visual art)
Dadaist Manifesto
A statement of Dadaist principles, often written in a provocative and nonsensical style.
“Dada Manifesto” by Tristan Tzara
Dadaist Poetry: Major Examples
“Karawane” by Hugo Ball (1916): This sound poem, performed in a nonsensical language of Ball’s invention, exemplifies Dada’s rejection of traditional meaning and its embrace of pure sonic expression. The poem’s rhythmic chanting and nonsensical syllables create a disorienting and evocative experience for the listener.
“The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot (1922): While not strictly a Dadaist poem, Eliot’s masterpiece incorporates Dadaist techniques such as fragmentation, collage, and juxtaposition to create a fragmented and disillusioned portrait of post-war society. The poem’s disjointed structure and abrupt shifts in perspective mirror the chaos and confusion of the modern world.
“Gadji beri bimba” by Hugo Ball (1916): This sound poem, like “Karawane,” abandons traditional syntax and meaning in favor of pure phonetic experimentation. The poem’s seemingly random arrangement of syllables and sounds creates a playful and provocative effect, challenging the listener’s expectations and inviting them to engage with language on a purely sensory level.
“Anne Bloom” by Tristan Tzara (1916): This poem exemplifies Dada’s use of chance operations, with Tzara reportedly creating the poem by pulling words randomly from a hat. The resulting text is a nonsensical and often humorous collection of images and phrases that defy logical interpretation.
“L’amiral cherche une maison à louer” by Tristan Tzara (1916): This poem, written in a mix of French and invented words, is a playful and absurdist exploration of language. Tzara’s use of nonsensical phrases and unexpected juxtapositions creates a disorienting and humorous effect, challenging the reader’s assumptions about meaning and communication.
“The Great American Novel” by William Carlos Williams (1923): Though not a Dadaist himself, Williams experimented with Dadaist techniques in this work, incorporating found objects, newspaper clippings, and other fragments into the text. This collage-like approach reflects Dada’s interest in disrupting traditional narrative structures and challenging conventional notions of authorship and originality.
Dadaist poetry is anthropocentric and disregards the natural world, reflecting a destructive attitude towards nature.
Dadaist Poetry: Criticism
Nihilistic and Destructive: Dadaism’s rejection of traditional artistic values and its embrace of chaos and absurdity can be seen as nihilistic and destructive, lacking in constructive or positive contributions to society.
Inaccessible and Elitist: Dadaist poetry, with its emphasis on nonsense and irrationality, can be difficult to understand and appreciate for those unfamiliar with its underlying principles and intentions. This can make it seem exclusive and elitist, catering to a small group of intellectuals and avant-garde artists.
Politically Ineffective: Despite its anti-war and anti-establishment stance, Dadaism’s rejection of traditional political discourse and its embrace of absurdity can be seen as politically ineffective, failing to offer concrete solutions or alternatives to the problems it critiques.
Lack of Technical Skill: Some critics argue that Dadaist poetry lacks technical skill and craftsmanship, relying too heavily on chance operations and spontaneity rather than honed poetic techniques. This can make it seem amateurish and lacking in artistic merit.
Ephemeral and Transient: Dadaist performances and events were often spontaneous and ephemeral, leaving behind little lasting impact or influence. This can make it difficult to assess the movement’s overall significance and contribution to literary and artistic history.
Dadaist Poetry: Terms Used in It
Term
Definition
Sound Poetry
Poetry that emphasizes the sonic qualities of language over semantic meaning.
Bruitism
Use of noise and dissonance in art, music, and poetry.
Chance Operations
The use of random or arbitrary methods to create art or literature.
Simultaneism
The simultaneous performance of multiple poems, texts, or actions in a single work.
Collage
The artistic technique of assembling disparate elements to create a new whole.
Readymade
An ordinary object elevated to the status of art by the mere choice of an artist.
Anti-Art
A rejection of traditional notions of beauty and skill in art.
Cabaret Voltaire
A Zurich nightclub that served as a central meeting place for Dada artists and writers.
Merz
A term coined by Kurt Schwitters to describe his artistic practice, encompassing collage, assemblage, and found objects.
Photomontage
The technique of combining multiple photographs to create a new image.
Huelsenbeck, Richard. Memoirs of a Dada Drummer. Edited by Hans J. Kleinschmidt. Translated by Joachim Neugroschel. University of California Press, 1991.
