L`accent grave

The Journal of the Core Curriculum

L’accent grave BY JACQUES PREVERT

Le professeur Élève Hamlet! L’élève Hamlet (sursautant) … Hein… Quoi… Pardon… Qu’est-ce qui ce passé… Qu’est-ce qu’il y a… Qu’est-ce que c’est… Le professeur (mecontent) Vous ne pouvez pas repondre “present” comme tout le monde? Pas possible, vous etes encore dans les nuages. L’élève Hamlet Être ou ne pas être dans les nuages! Le professeur Suffit. Pas tant des manieres. Et conjugez-moi le verbe être, comme tout le monde, c’est tout ce que je vous demande. L’élève Hamlet To be…

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The Journal of the Core Curriculum

Le professeur En Francais, s’il vous plait, comme tout le monde. L’élève Hamlet Bien, monsieur. (Il conjugue:) Je suis ou je ne suis pas Tu es ou tu n’es pas Il est ou il n’est pas Nous sommes ou nous ne sommes pas… Le professeur (excessivement mecontent) Mais c’est vous qui n’y êtes pas, mon pauvre ami! L’élève Hamlet C’est exact, monsieur le professeur, Je suis « où » je ne suis pas Et, dans le fond, hein, a la reflexion, Être « où » ne pas être C’est peut-etre aussi le question.

About this poem: “L’accent grave” is taken from Paroles, 1946. In addition to his wonderful Surrealist poetry, Prevert is also known for the writing he did for the screen. He worked primarily for film director Marcel Carné, whose Les enfants du paradis, 1945, is considered by some to be one of the greatest films of all time. Prevert wrote the screenplay.

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Bowers

The accent grave TRANSLATION BY AMIEL BOWERS

The Professor Student Hamlet! Hamlet the Student (startled) … Huh… What… Sorry… What is going on… What is the matter… What is it? The Professor (displeased) You cannot answer “Present” like everybody else? Of course not, you still have your head in the clouds. Hamlet the Student To be or not to be in the clouds! The Professor Don’t be silly. Do not put on airs. And conjugate for me the verb “to be” like everyone else; that’s all I ask you. Hamlet the Student Être…

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Bowers The Professor In English, please, like everyone else. Hamlet the Student Fine, sir. (He conjugates:) I am or I am not You are or you are not He is or he is not We are or we are not… The Professor (extremely displeased) But it is you who are not there, my poor friend! Hamlet the Student That’s just it, professor, I am ‘where’ I am not And, in the end, well, after reflection, To be ‘where’ not to be Is perhaps also the question.

About this translation: I have my grandmother to thank for my interest in Prevert, for she was a professor of French literature and I her happy student. In this poem, my challenge was to find an equivalent pun for “ou”/”où”—”or” and “where,” respectively, in English. The grave accent makes all the difference. Oh, clever, clever Hamlet...

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