Guy de Maupassant (French Short Story Writer and Naturalist ) Widely regarded as the 'Father of Modern Short Story' writing, Guy de Maupassant was one of the greatest French writers in the 19th century. 3) As a young boy, Maupassant loved nature, which became a theme for many of his stories. Author Alphonse Libert. Guy de Maupassant learned in his early 20s that he had syphilis, which was then a frightening and widespread malady. Henri-Ren-Albert-Guy de Maupassant, born on 5 August 1850 at the late 16th-century Chteau de Miromesnil (near Dieppe in the Seine-Infrieure (now Seine-Maritime) department in France), was the first son of Laure Le Poittevin and Gustave de Maupassant, who both came from prosperous bourgeois families. The famous writer was a friend of Maupassant's mother's friend and introduced his protg to mile Zola Ivan Turgenev and Henry James. At the Villa des Verguies, between the sea and the luxuriant countryside, he grew very fond of fishing and of outdoor activities. Guy de Maupassant's "Two Friends" takes place in January 1871, toward the end of the Franco-Prussian (or Franco-German) War. The decade from 1880 to 1891 was the most fertile period of Maupassant's life. Maupassant suffered syphilis when he was 20 years old. The reason of it was because of he can not see the Eiffel tower inside the restaurant. Guy de Maupassant. However, he was demobilized in 1871. He owes most to Flaubert, from whom he learned to use a concise and measured style and to establish a distance towards the object of narration. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. He served ten years as a clerk in the Navy Department. The team was led by Zola. http://www.professorguerrero.com/2012/07/necklace-by-guy-de-maupassant-essay-2.html, http://enria.org/society/life-tips-in-the-interpretation-of-guy-de-maupassant. Updates? In 1868, when he was eighteen, he saved the life of poet Algernon Charles Swinburne, rescuing the latter from drowning off the coast of Etretat. Lombardi, Esther. Actually, Maupassant hated the Eiffel Tower. The story was written in the form of journal. Naturalism, like Realism, tends to portray characters and settings that could exist in the real world and the plotlines are plausible. 7) In 1871 Maupassant enlisted as a volunteer in the Franco-Prussian War. On his 169th birth anniversary, here's looking at a few interesting facts about the author: When Maupassant was 11 and his brother Herv, 5, his mother, Laure Le Poittevin, risked social disgrace and legally separated from her husband, who was violent towards her. Maupassant contributed a short story on the Franco-Prussian war to a volume called Les Soires de Mdan. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Friedrich Nietzsche's autobiography mentions him in the following text: "I cannot at all conceive in which century of history one could haul together such inquisitive and at the same time delicate psychologists as one can in contemporary Paris: I can name as a sample for their number is by no means small, or to pick out one of the stronger race, a genuine Latin to whom I am particularly attached, Guy de Maupassant.". Maupassant contracted Syphilis in his youth. Flaubert continued to act as his literary godfather. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 10 Interesting Facts about Guy de Maupassant, 10 Interesting Facts about George H. W.Bush, 10 Interesting Facts about Georgia OKeeffe, 10 Interesting Facts about High Blood Pressure, 10 Interesting Facts about Haiti Earthquake. He later attended the Institution Leroy-Petit, in Rouen, a private school. So, they liked rowing and sailing. He was prolific, publishing over 300 short stories and six novels, but died at a young age after ongoing struggles with both physical and mental health. Facts about Guy de Maupassant 1: His education Maupassant ever studied Law in Paris. It was written to the Minister of Public Works. Maupassant penned his own epitaph: "I have coveted everything and taken pleasure in nothing." Facts about Guy de Maupassant 2: His family We have talked facts about Gay de Maupassant. Due to complaints from NBC executives, this part of the script was never filmed.[22]. Since the war figures significantly into the story, readers. ", Rougle, Charles. This was the beginning of the apprenticeship that was the making of Maupassant the writer. Guy de Maupassant: Biography, Quotes & Facts. La Parure (The Necklace) is the best-loved stories of him. This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 13:11. Hes my disciple and I love him like a son, Flaubert said of Maupassant. He was very devoted to his mother, who was a well-read woman with a passion for classical literature. Leo Tolstoy used Maupassant as the subject for one of his essays on art, The Works of Guy de Maupassant. William Saroyan wrote a short story about Maupassant in his 1971 book, Letters from 74 rue Taitbout or Don't Go But If You Must Say Hello To Everybody. He often ate lunch in the restaurant at its base, not out of preference for the food but because only there could he avoid seeing its otherwise unavoidable profile. He was born on August 5, 1850 as Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant and died on July 6, 1893 inPassy, Paris at the age of 42. Guy de Maupassant (5 August, 1859 6 July, 1893) was a French writer and a master of short stories. He developed a constant desire for solitude, an obsession for self-preservation, a fear of death and paranoia of persecution. He has a brother named Herve. Much like Flaubert's paintings, de Maupassant's stories told the plight of the lower classes. His stories strikingly captured various aspects of day-to-day life in France during that time. She took custody of Guy and his younger brother, and it was her influence that led her sons to develop an appreciation for literature. Maupassant is considered a father of the modern short story. Corrections? We may all come from different walks of life but we have one common passion - learning through travel. His parents separated when he was 11 years old and his mother took custody of Guy and his younger brother, and it was her influence that led her sons to . His prolific and deeply admired body of work influenced a great number of writers including William Somerset Maugham, O. Henry, Anton Chekhov, Kate . [9] From his early education he retained a marked hostility to religion, and to judge from verses composed around this time he deplored the ecclesiastical atmosphere, its ritual and discipline. Many are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s, describing the futility of war and the innocent civilians who, caught up in events beyond their control, are permanently changed by their experiences. Guy de Maupassant was an important French naturalist writer who was most well known for his short stories. Henri Rene Albert Guy de Maupassant was born in Tourville-sur-Arques, France. "Biography of Guy de Maupassant, Father of the Short Story." He Retained a Marked Hostility to Region at a Tender Age At age thirteen, Maupassant was placed as a day boarder together with his brother in a private school. Author Born in France #42. The brilliance of his technique is combined with an ethical nihilism. Gene Roddenberry, in an early draft for The Questor Tapes, wrote a scene in which the android Questor employs Maupassant's theory that, "the human female will open her mind to a man to whom she has opened other channels of communications. That is why he died ininsane asylum. The gentleman in the white waistcoat is interesting because he remains nameless and is identified chiefly by this one article of . Maupassants story, Boule de suif (Ball of Fat), was not only by far the best of the six. The story is particularly known for its surprising ending. it was probably the finest story he ever wrote. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Who Is Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams? ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/guy-de-maupassant-biography-740701. When Maupassant was 11 and his brother Herv was five, his mother, an independent-minded woman, risked social disgrace to obtain a legal separation from her husband, who was violent towards her. This acclaimed French short story writer and novelist was one among 46 Parisian literary and artistic people, who wrote a letter to the Minister of Public Works in Paris in protest of the construction of the Eiffel Tower. There aremany amazing work which was made by Maupassant in 10 years, includingseveral non-fiction books,300 short stories, and six novels. Unfortunately, in his 20s he began to suffer from syphilis, which caused him much mental agony and trouble for the rest of his living years. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Claude Brasseur stars as the titular character. [Quoted from the track "The Questor Affair" from the album, Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 13:11, List of Short Stories by Guy de Maupassant, Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, "Maupassant's Apprenticeship with Flaubert", "Lyce Pierre Corneille de Rouen - History", "Remembering Maupassant | Arts and Entertainment | BBC World Service", "The Writer Who Sparks the Finest Movie Adaptations", Complete list of stories by Guy de Maupassant, Universit McGill: le roman selon les romanciers, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guy_de_Maupassant&oldid=1142092357, "The Dead Girl (a.k.a. In 1880 he published what is considered his first masterpiece, "Boule de Suif", which met with instant and tremendous success. Maupassant was one of six writers, led by Zola, who each contributed a short story on the Franco-German War to a volume called Les Soires de Mdan. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. This was to indicate noble birth. He devoted his spare time to writing novels and short stories. He was also romantically involved with a woman named, Josephine Litzelmann. For classical studies in Institution Leroy-Petit, in Rouen. Maupassant would go on to develop a fear of death and paranoia of persecution caused by the syphilis he had contracted in his youth. Maupassant is a modern exemplar of traditional French psychological realism; he portrays his characters as unhappy victims of their greed, desire, or vanity but presents even the most sordid details of their lives without sermonizing. Guy de Maupassant was born on Aug. 5, 1850, in Normandy; his exact birthplace has never been established. He used Maufrigneuse from 1881 to 1885. Henri Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant (UK: /mops/,[1][2] US: /mopsnt, mops/;[2][3][4][5] French:[i d() mopas]; 5 August 1850 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, as well as a representative of the Naturalist school, who depicted human lives, destinies and social forces in disillusioned and often pessimistic terms. The following year, he went to the Lyce Pierre-Corneille School, where he took part in drama and became passionate about poetry. He is remembered as a master of the short story form. The same year, he came out with the novel, Notre Cur'. He would spend the next ten years of his life, serving in this position. Maupassants story, Boule de suif (Ball of Fat), was not only by far the best of the six, it is probably the finest story he ever wrote. Flaubert introduced Maupassant to some of the leading writers of the time. By User Den fjttrade ankan on sv.wikipedia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1250918. Between the years 1872 and 1880 Maupassant was a civil servant first at the ministry of maritime affairs then at the ministry of education. This is our collection of basic interesting facts about De Maupassant. Michel Drach directed and co-wrote a 1982 French biographical film: Guy de Maupassant. Many of his stories were based on the Franco-Prussian War and the lives of innocent people who were caught in it. In many respects, Maupassant's naturalism is Schopenhauerian anthropological pessimism, as he is often harsh and merciless when it comes to depicting human nature. Maupassant's parents separated when he was 11 years old and he went to live with his mother and . Additionally, Maupassant also wrote under several pseudonyms, including Joseph Prunier, Guy de Valmont, and Maufrigneuse. The novelist Guy de Maupassant, allegedly hated the Eiffel tower so much that he often ate lunch in the restaurant at its base, the only vantage point from which he could completely avoid glimpsing its looming silhouette. His writing career was short-lived but extremely prolific; between 1880 and 1890 he. Maupassant was one of a fair number of 19th-century Parisians (including Charles Gounod, Alexandre Dumas, fils, and Charles Garnier) who did not care for the Eiffel Tower[15] (erected in 1887-1889). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Maupassant volunteered, served first as a private in the field, and was later transferred through his fathers intervention to the quartermaster corps. He traveled extensively in Algeria, Italy, England, Brittany, Sicily, and the Auvergne, and from each voyage brought back a new volume. Photo by Nadar.WIKIMEDIA, Guy de Maupassant. Boule de suif (Ball of Fat) is regarded as his best story, while the best known is La Parure (The Necklace). It focuses on detachment, objectivity, and social commentary. Also Known As: Henri Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant, siblings: Creig de Maupassant, Herv de Maupassant, Notable Alumni: Lyce Pierre-Corneille, Lyce Henri-IV, education: Lyce Henri-IV, Lyce Pierre-Corneille, Quotes By Guy De Maupassant | Biography: You Need to Know: Agness Underwood. Here are 5 of the best facts about De Maupassant The Necklace and De Maupassant Guy I managed to collect. WIKIMEDIA. One of his famous short stories, "The Necklace", was imitated with a twist by Maugham ("Mr Know-All", "A String of Beads"). He refused to undergo treatment, and it eventually affected his mental state. 6) Maupassant saved poet Algernon Charles Swinburne from drowning. describe apparently supernatural phenomena. While investigating facts about De Maupassant Novels and De Maupassant Short Stories, I found out little known, but curios details like: Guy de Maupassant ate lunch every day at the base of the Eiffel Tower because he hated the tower and that was the only place in Paris where he wouldn't see it. Maupassant was demobilized in July 1871 and resumed his law studies in Paris. CNN name, logo and all associated elements and 2023 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. He is buried in Section 26 of the Montparnasse Cemetery, Paris. The following year, his novel, Bel Ami was published. Zola described the young Maupassant as a terrific oarsman able to row fifty miles on the Seine in a single day for pleasure. Maupassant was a passionate lover of the sea and of rivers, which accounts for the setting of much of his fiction and the prevalence in it of nautical imagery. The short stories of writer Guy de Maupassant detail many aspects of French life in the 19th century. [8] She was an exceptionally well-read woman and was very fond of classical literature, particularly Shakespeare. His stories are second only to Shakespeare in their inspiration of movie adaptations with films ranging from Stagecoach, Oyuki the Virgin and Masculine Feminine.[21]. Maupassant also wrote under several pseudonyms, including "Joseph Prunier", "Guy de Valmont", and "Maufrigneuse" (which he used from 1881 to 1885). Maupassant and Flaubert both . Taking his cue from Balzac, Maupassant wrote comfortably in both the high-Realist and fantastic modes; stories and novels such as "L'Hritage" and Bel-Ami aim to recreate Third-Republic France in a realistic way, whereas many of the short stories (notably "Le Horla" and "Qui sait?") Sattar, Atia. Unfortunately, he has to leave his studies due to he becomes a soldier. He was laid to rest at the Cimetiere du Montparnasse, Paris. Read the story: The Necklace, Character Analysis & Summary, Genre & Themes, Literary Devices . August 5 Author #6. He served first as a private in the field. He suffered from mental problems and tried to commit suicide by slitting his throat in 1892. This was until illness struck Maupassant down. This, Maupassant's first piece of short fiction set during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, was followed by short stories such as "Deux Amis", "Mother Savage", and "Mademoiselle Fifi". His parents separated when he was 11 years old after his mother, Laure Le Poittevin, left his father Gustave de Maupassant. In 1884, his short story La mere Sauvage' and 'La Parure' was published. [11], In 1867, as he entered junior high school, Maupassant met Gustave Flaubert at Croisset[fr] at the insistence of his mother. One can see from a story like Mouche (1890; Fly) that the latter were more than merely boating expeditions and that the girls who accompanied Maupassant and his friends were usually prostitutes or prospective prostitutes. Whether you want to learn the history of a city, or you simply need a recommendation for your next meal, Discover Walks Team offers an ever-growing travel encyclopaedia. Even though his writing career spanned barely a decade, Flaubert was prolific, writing some 300 short stories, three plays, six novels, and hundreds of newspaper articles. He felt a decided antipathy for this form of life and deliberately engineered his own expulsion for some trivial offense in 1868. French writer Guy de Maupassant is famous for his short stories, which paint a fascinating picture of French life in the 19th century. 2) Laure Le Poittevin, Maupassant's mother, became the most influential figure in his life. For classical studies in Institution Leroy-Petit, in Rouen. The novel comes under the realist genre and was one of the shortest of his novels. Gustave Flaubert is a good friend of Laure Le Poittevin (Maupassants mother). In 1880, his acclaimed short story, Boule de Suif' was published. It has been suggested that his brother, Herv, also suffered from syphilis and that the disease may have been congenital. In 1881, he came out with 'La Maison Tellier', his first collection of short stories. Facts about Guy de Maupassant will inform you about a famous French writer. Below is the article summary. 3) As a young boy, Maupassant loved nature, which became a theme for many of his stories. However, he had never loved working, all his free time Maupassant spent in women pursuit. For local insights and insiders travel tips that you wont find anywhere else, search any keywords in the top right-hand toolbar on this page. Unfortunately, he has to leave his studies due to he becomes a soldier. Until the age of thirteen, Guy lived happily with his mother, at tretat in Normandy. --- Please like and follow ManOfLaBook.com ---. . His talent and practical business sense made him wealthy. He is also known as a masterof short stories. Widely regarded as the Father of Modern Short Story writing, Guy de Maupassant was one of the greatest French writers in the 19th century. He also started working as a contributory editor to the newspapers, Le Figaro, Gil Blas, Le Gaulois and l'Echo de Paris. His work was admired by his contemporaries and imitated by those who came after him. [18] On 2 January 1892, Maupassant tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat; he was committed to the private asylum of Esprit Blanche at Passy, in Paris, where he died (6 July 1893) from syphilis. His seminal work, La Parure remains one of his most famous short stories. During the Franco-Prussian war, Maupassant volunteered. Your email address will not be published. Guy de Maupassant was a 19th-century French author who wrote more than 300 short stories. It was a concise description of a twofold relationship: if Flaubert was the inspiration for Maupassant the writer, he also provided the child of a broken marriage with a foster father. Henry-Ren-Albert-Guy de Maupassant was the eldest of the two children of Gustave and Laure, born on Aug. 5, 1850 in Dieppe, France. [12] Next year, in autumn, he was sent to the Lyce Pierre-Corneille in Rouen[13] where he proved a good scholar, indulging in poetry and taking a prominent part in theatricals. WIKIMEDIA. Maupassant ever studied Law in Paris. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/guy-de-maupassant-4806.php. In 1887, he came out with the short horror story titled, Le Horla'. When he was thirteen, he went to learn classical studies at the Yvetot seminary for a brief period. 8) Maupassants talent and business acumen made him a rich man. He then became a government clerk. Maupassant was one of six writers, led by Zola, who each contributed a short story on the Franco-German War to a volume called Les Soires de Mdan. To support our blog and writers we put affiliate links and advertising on our page. In fact, he tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat on January 2, 1892 and was committed to the private asylum of Esprit Blanche at Passy, in Paris. Who is Guy De Maupassant: Guy De Maupassant is a famous Novelist. One hundred and . What is Guy de Maupassant best known for? His mother urged his father when they married in 1846 to obtain the right to use the form de Maupassant instead of Maupassant as his family name. Guy de Maupassant is regarded as the best French writer of short stories. Please note that this site uses cookies to personalise content and adverts, to provide social media features, and to analyse web traffic. NEVEUX "I entered literary life as a meteor, and I shall leave it like a thunderbolt." These words of Maupassant to Jose Maria de Heredia on the occasion of a memorable meeting are, in spite of their morbid solemnity, not an inexact summing up of the brief career during which, for ten years, the writer, by turns undaunted and sorrowful, with the fertility . In recent years, feminism has a profound impact not only on the family's sociology, but also on other areas of social cognition. From his early education, Guy de Maupassant retained a marked hostility to religion. Book Review: The German Girl by Armando Lucas Correa. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of NEWS18.com does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them. Updates? The author also wrote six novels, three travel books and one volume of verse. Most Popular #137442. Guy de Maupassant was probably born at the Chteau de Miromesniel, Dieppe on August 5, 1850. From 1871, he went to Paris and started working as a clerk in the Navy Department. He is generally considered Frances greatest master of the short story. He resumed his law studies in Paris. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. His literary education came through his informal apprenticeship to Gustave Flaubert, who was a friend of his mothers. Biography of Guy de Maupassant, Father of the Short Story. Fort comme la mort Guy de Maupassant 1975 Car l'amour est fort comme la Mort, la passion inflexible comme le Schol. Esther Lombardi, M.A., is a journalist who has covered books and literature for over twenty years. Guy de Maupassant comes from rich family. This story is one of his most well-known works. He is also a novelist and poet. Laure Le Poittevin and Gustave de Maupassant are the parents of him. His work is characterized by the clarity of its prose and the objective irony of its presentation, as well as its keen re-creation of the physical world. In 1894, he became the subject of Leo Tolstoys book The Works of Guy de Maupassant'. During his apprenticeship with Flaubert, Maupassant published one or two stories. Guy de Maupassant. Member, Academy of Fine Arts, Institute of France, 196567. The fact that his brother died at an early age of the same disease suggests that it might have been congenital. Boule de suif epitomizes Maupassants style in its economy and balance. But de Maupassant's horror fiction is only a small portion of his work, some 39 stories or so. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Guy-de-Maupassant, New York Review Books - Guy de Maupassant, All Poetry - Biography of Guy de Maupassant, Guy de Maupassant - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). 1) When he was 11, Maupassants mother risked social disgrace by getting divorced and keeping her two sons. [6] Gustave discovered a certain Jean-Baptiste Maupassant, conseiller-secrtaire to the King, who had been ennobled in 1752. During this time his only recreation and relaxation was boating on the Seine on Sundays and holidays. Little Maupassant was gaining knowledge and skills from his friends; he improved his gifts and talents, which helped him in his poetry and writing. Flauberts sudden and unexpected death in 1880 was a grievous blow to Maupassant. His realistic portrayal of life made his books and short stories accessible to those belonging to any social class. Soon after graduation, Maupassant served as a volunteer in the Franco-Prussian War, after which he pursued a career as a civil servant working in the Navy Department and the Ministry of Public Instruction. Robert de Langeac (de son vrai nom le Pre Augustin Delage), rpondait alors au souhait que lui formulait le clbre thologien Garrigou-Lagrange : " le bien des mes l'emporte plus que votre dsir d'effacement ". Even though he is known for writing he started out by studying law in Paris. In 1878, he was transferred to the Ministry of Public Instruction. In 1883 he finished his first novel, Une Vie (translated into English as A Woman's Life), 25,000 copies of which were sold in less than a year. His passion of writing is visible from his letter-writing during he serves as soldier. In fact, he and 46 other Parisian literary and artistic notables attached their names to a letter of protest against the tower's construction, written to the Minister of Public Works. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. When . But it was her friend Flaubert who opened doors for the budding young writer. Guy de Maupassant went crazy due to parental mistreatment in spite of "writing about it". Guy de Maupassant studied law and served in the military during the Franco-German War. Mature life and works of Guy de Maupassant. Guy de Maupassant, in full Henry-Ren-Albert-Guy de Maupassant, (born August 5, 1850, Chteau de Miromesnil?, near Dieppe, Francedied July 6, 1893, Paris), French naturalist writer of short stories and novels who is by general agreement the greatest French short-story writer.