Jean Cocteau and the Flying Saucer: A Study of the Influence of Pseudoscience on Literature

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26580061
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: European literature
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: MATSUDA KAZUYUKI 福井大学, 学術研究院教育・人文社会系部門(総合グローバル), 教授 (50239026)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: コクトー / 超科学 / 空飛ぶ円盤（ＵＦＯ） / 前衛考古学 / オカルト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

When reading Cocteau's intimate journals (1951-1963) published posthumously under the title“The Past Defined”, one may be surprised to find frequent references to occult themes such as flying saucers (UFOs) and pseudoarchaeology (such as the existence of Atlantis and Mu). How should we understand these themes and the true intentions of the author? It is not easy to provide a definite answer to this question, but at least it may be pointed out that in his later years, Cocteau had a great deal of sympathy for young pseudoscientists who objected to the theories of modern physics. There is no denying that the poet was under the influence of pseudoscience and closely related occult themes.

Free Research Field

フランス文学