Liberation Journals Index


Home

Universal Search





Author Index



Thematic Index



Genre Index



Using this database

    Detail for Author: René Ménil

      Click white links for details

Author: Ménil, René
Nationality: Martiniquais
Sex: m
Birth/Death 1907-2004
Biography: Lifelong surrealist and marxist theorist and thinker, René Ménil remains one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century Martinican independence movement. As a student in 1923, Ménil co-founded the Paris-based Légitime Défense review alongside Jules-Marcel Monnerot and Etienne Léro, a periodical aiming to use the tools of marxism, surrealism, and psychoanalysis to radicalize the West Indian bourgeoisie. Later, Menil collaborated with Aimé and Suzanne Césaire to found Tropiques. He also founded the literary periodical, Caravelle that ran between 1944 and 1945, intended as a successor to Tropiques. Over the course of his life, Menil remained a devoted communist, regularly contributing to Martinican leftwing and union newspapers and periodicals. He founded the Parti Communiste Martiniquais (PCM) alongside Georges Gratiant and Armand Nicolas in 1958. In 1981, Menil published Tracées, a collected anthology of his philosophical writings on surrealism and negritude. 
BibReferences: Ménil, René (France), "Caravelle", SISMO (Global Journals Portal), consulted on 04 January 2026, https://sismo.inha.fr/s/en/journal/261862 Ménil, René. Tracées: Identité, Négritude, Esthétique Aux Antilles. Chemins D'identité. R. Laffont, 1981


Articles Authored:
Result Title Journal Volume Issue
1 Avertissement Légitime Défense (none) 1
2 Généralités sur "l'écrivain" de couleur antillais Légitime Défense (none) 1
3 Nulle part Légitime Défense (none) 1
4 Evolution de la poésie antillaise Présence Africaine NSB 22
5 L'Ile magique / The Magic Island Revue du Monde Noir (none) 3
6 Point de vue sur le folklore nègre / Views of Negro Folklore Revue du Monde Noir (none) 4
7 Naissance de notre art Tropiques (none) 1
8 Orientation de la poésie Tropiques (none) 2
9 Introduction au merveilleux Tropiques (none) 3
10 Note - Communication: L'Action foudroyante Tropiques (none) 3
11 Drame Légendaire au crépuscule Tropiques (none) 4
12 Introduction au folklore martiniquais Tropiques (none) 4
13 Couleurs d'enfance, couleurs du sang Tropiques (none) 5
14 Laissez passer la poésie Tropiques (none) 5
15 In Memoriam: Celui qeu nous appelions le maître Tropiques (none) 6-7
16 Le Dictateur Tropiques (none) 6-7
17 Notes sur Mallarmé Tropiques (none) 6-7
18 Evidences touchant l'esprit et sa vitesse Tropiques (none) 8-9
19 Poème Tropiques (none) 10
20 La Dernière insurrection Tropiques (none) 11
21 Situation de la poésie aux Antilles Tropiques (none) 11
22 L'humour: introduction à 1945 Tropiques (none) 12


On Editorial Committee for:
JournalVolumeIssueType of CommitteeTitle on Committee



This website is an archive of content that is retained exclusively for reference and research. It was created prior to May 11, 2026. Contact accessibility@brown.libanswers.com to request accessible content.