Guyotat éden histoire enfer

Considered amongst the most radical works of contemporary French literature, the work of Pierre Guyotat is also one that, in many respects, addresses History, for the novels' themes are set in a contemporary post-colonial world, – but it is also historical in its attempt to reach a language of a greater "materiality". This paper deals with Guyotat's first two major novels, Tombeau pour cinq cent mille soldats and Eden, Eden, Eden. The paper takes into account the recently published Carnets de bord (2005) in order to illustrate a "work in progress" and the historical and theoretical context in which the novels were written. The paper concentrates on the epic and the apocalyptic understanding of History.