Edmond Jabès
Edmond Jabès
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Edmond Jabès was a French-born Jewish writer and philosopher. His full name was Edmond Amran El Maleh, but he adopted the pen name "Jabès" for his literary career.
Birth and Death Dates
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Edmond Jabès was born on March 17, 1919, in Alexandretta (now Iskenderun), Syria. He passed away on January 4, 1991, in Paris, France.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Jabès held dual French-Algerian citizenship. His professions included writer, philosopher, poet, and translator. He was a prominent figure in the field of existentialist literature.
Early Life and Background
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Edmond Jabès grew up in a Jewish family in Syria. In his early 20s, he moved to Paris to study philosophy at the Sorbonne University. During World War II, he was imprisoned in a concentration camp for being Jewish. After the war, he continued writing and became an influential figure in French literature.
Major Accomplishments
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Jabès' most notable work is his five-volume novel "Le Livre du Désert" (The Book of Questions), which explores themes of Jewish identity, exile, and the search for meaning.
He also wrote numerous poetry collections, novels, and essays that often dealt with existentialist and philosophical topics.
Jabès was a prominent translator, translating works from Arabic to French.Notable Works or Actions
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Some notable works by Edmond Jabès include:
"The Book of Questions" (1983-1991), a five-volume novel published posthumously
"The Foreigner" (1969)
"A God That Failed Me" (1976)
Impact and Legacy
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Edmond Jabès' writing has had a profound impact on modern French literature. His exploration of Jewish identity, exile, and the search for meaning resonated with readers across cultures. His unique style blended elements of poetry, philosophy, and fiction to create a distinctive voice.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Edmond Jabès is widely quoted and remembered for his thought-provoking and deeply personal writing. His exploration of the human condition, particularly in relation to Jewish identity and exile, continues to resonate with readers today.
Quotes by Edmond Jabès
In the morning, you tear up the pages of your fever, but every word naturally leads you back to its color, its night.
As long as we are not chased from our words we have nothing to fear. As long as our utterances keep their sound we have a voice. As long as our words keep their sense we have a soul.
I believe in the writer’s mission. He receives it from the word, which carries its suffering and its hope within it. He questions the words, which question him. He accompanies the words, which accompany him. The initiative is shared, as if spontaneous.
It is not certainty which is creative, but the uncertainty we are pledged to in our works.
