Germain Habert’s “Métamorphose des yeux de Philis em astres”: narcissism and and the idea of powerless power

Abstract

The current essay introduces Germain Habert’s unique poem, Les Yeux de Phillis metamorphosé en Astres. Considered for more than three centuries as a typical “precious” (precieux), this poem was poorly rated by most critics since classicist critics as Bouhours described the poem as a kind of stylistic superfluity which the new learned generations should refrain to imitate. Habert’s poem, however, conceals deep psychological intricacies, including the substantial narrative development of narcissist dialogical speculation. Here a very familiar problem in sixteenth century studies – amour propre – is still deeply entrenched in sensual and sexual behavior and in metaphysical aspirations towards death and wholeness. Here a problem that will evolve considerably during the seventeenth century as the Augustinian “amour proper” is still profoundly linked to sensual and sexual behavior and to metaphysical aspiration towards death and wholeness.