ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by asking how the particular concerns of Herodiade produce the self-reflexivity as a key feature of Mallarme's poetics. It follows Mallarme's developing comprehension of his poetic task as it is expressed in his correspondence, before taking a first look at the collection of notes published as Igitur. The chapter focuses on the tale of Igitur. In Igitur, the achievement of the transition is considered as a task that Igitur must perform. The chapter looks at how this is written into the pages of the tale. Herodiade is the name that Mallarme uses for the biblical Salome. He is able in this way to conflate the cold-hearted Herodias with her virginal daughter. A reading has distinguished three aspects of Herodiade's beauty: virginity (purity), vanity (narcissism) and solitude (self-presence). Despite this strategy, it would be very difficult, however, to fully isolate any one of these aspects — they are all interrelated.
