"Poet in the East"? Rethinking Rimbaud’s History in Harar (1880-1890)

Avishai Ben-Dror

The article discusses the life and writings of Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891), the well known French poet, in the Ethiopian town of Harar, under Egyptian and later Ethiopian occupation. It offers a new historical analysis of Rimbaud’s literary work by locating it within a colonial context. Rimbaud is presented here as a trader, rather than a poet and writer, who, in spite of certain empathy toward the Muslims of Harar, resembled other contemporary European traders, who aimed to spread European cultural or sought economic gain.
The examination of Rimbaud’s relationships with the inhabitants of Harar reveals the complex liaisons created between the European traveler and the native dweller of the “east.” Moreover, in contrast to twentieth-century scholars who diminished Harar’s history and presented it as no more than the “oriental background” of the “poet,” this article views Rimbaud’s history in Harar as part of the town’s political and social contexts, and suggests a more balanced interpretation of Rimbaud’s place in the history of the town.