Discourse-Rhythm-Poetic Subject: Henri Meschonnic’s Poetics of Rhythm

This paper examines Henri Meschonnic’s poetics of rhythm through three interrelated dimensions: discourse, rhythm, and subject. It situates Meschonnic’s work within modern discourse theory, showing that rhythm functions as an immanent principle within discourse, organising sense rather than serving as an external formal pattern. The paper then analyses his reconceptualization of rhythm beyond metric or mathematical regularity, presenting it as a dynamic principle of signifying activity that links form, meaning, and life. Finally, it examines Meschonnic’s notion of poetic subject, emphasising how subjectivity emerges through rhythmic discourse rather than pre-existing. Together, these dimensions illustrate how Meschonnic reshapes the relationship between discourse, rhythm, and subject, repositioning rhythm as a foundational and redefined principle of poetics.