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Rhizome

Philosophy
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A rhizome is a non-hierarchical, decentralized network structure. It grows horizontally, with multiple entry points and connections, unlike a tree's root system.

Detailed Definition
Deleuze and Guattari's concept opposes arborescent (tree-like) thought. In poetry, it appears in non-linear forms, associative imagery, and open-ended structures. A rhizomatic poem resists a single central meaning, offering multiple pathways for interpretation. This approach encourages a nomadic, unpredictable reading experience, reflecting the complex interconnectedness of ideas and the world, celebrating multiplicity over unity.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem that moves associatively from one image to another without a central theme, like much of Ashbery's work, is rhizomatic; A hypertext poem with non-linear paths is a literal example of a rhizome; A collection of poems that is not organized by a single theme but by a network of connections is rhizomatic; The "open field" of poetry, as advocated by Charles Olson, can be seen as a rhizomatic space.
Additional Notes
Rhizome is a botanical and philosophical concept developed by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari to describe a network structure that is non-hierarchical, decentralized, and without a central root. Unlike a tree, which has a single trunk and branches, a rhizome grows horizontally, with multiple entry points and connections, such as a ginger plant or a network of tubers. It is a model for a multiplicity that is not organized by a unified center. In poetry, a rhizome appears in non-linear forms, associative imagery, and open-ended structures. A poem that resists a single central meaning, offering multiple pathways for interpretation, is rhizomatic. This approach encourages a nomadic, unpredictable reading experience, reflecting the complex interconnectedness of ideas.
Also Known As
Rhizomatic structure Network Multiplicity vetiver
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