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ABSTRACT: Vilaire is a poet who has been consistently criticized and overlooked by scholars because his work deviates from the dominant conception of Haitian poetry which demands an overt politics and the prominent inclusion of "local color" and Creole language, which are seen as embodying a racial and national consciousness. I argue that such dismissals of Vilaire impose an ahistorical and ideological conception of Haitian poetry which are incompatible with Vilaire's aesthetic vision and project which in fact sought to elevate Haiti's status as a nation and to d emonstrate the quality of its literature abroad. My study of Vilaire is significant as he is, for the most part, unknown, despised and neglected by many critics. While he is seen as a minor poet, in my work, I establish that Vilaire was innovative in that he broke with the traditional Haitian literature, and introduced new topics, including the importance of poetry and the poet. Because he revolutionized the Haitian literary tradition, some critics disapprove of his work and consider him to have no place in Haitian literature. In my study, I address the controversy that surrounds his works and demonstrate, through the analysis of his poems, that his work reflects the ideas of his time and the preoccupation of his predecessors My research also points out that Vilaire was not only a poet, but also a political figure. As a poet as well as a politician, he defended his country, his race, and he challenged his colleagues to do the same. I underline the fact that, unlike the other authors of his era, the notion of religion shapes the content of his work. Finally, I demonstrate that Vilaire is an influential figure in Haitian literature. With his literary ideologies, his conception of the French language and his attempt to defend his race, he announces the Negritude movement
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