During this time his only recreation and relaxation was boating on the Seine on Sundays and holidays. 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. 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. He is not a naturalist like Zola; to him, physiological processes do not constitute the basis of human actions, although the influence of the environment is manifested in his prose. Guy de Maupassant was a 19th-century French author who wrote more than 300 short stories. 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. Flaubert would prove to be a major influence on de Maupassant's life and career. [8] She was an exceptionally well-read woman and was very fond of classical literature, particularly Shakespeare. [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, Flaubert published one of his most famous short stories "Boule du Suif," about a prostitute pressured to provide her services to a Prussian officer. 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. 10) Among many other Parisians, Maupassant didnt care for the Eifel Tower. Between the years 1872 and 1880 Maupassant was a civil servant, first at the ministry of maritime affairs . Guy de Valmont and Joseph Prunier are his pen name. 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. 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. By User Den fjttrade ankan on sv.wikipedia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1250918. [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. Henri Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer. Maupassants story, Boule de suif (Ball of Fat), was not only by far the best of the six. The couples second son, Herv, was born in 1856. In 1871, he left Normandy and moved to Paris where he spent ten years as a clerk in the Navy Department. 2) Laure Le Poittevin, Maupassant's mother, became the most influential figure in his life. His seminal work, La Parure remains one of his most famous short stories. ", Rougle, Charles. Quote Of The Day | Top 100 Quotes, See the events in life of Guy De Maupassant in Chronological Order, (French Short Story Writer and Naturalist ). The story is particularly known for its surprising ending. He suffered from mental problems and tried to commit suicide by slitting his throat in 1892. He resumed his law studies in Paris. His subsequent short stories include, 'Deux Amis' and Mother Savage'. All rights reserved. 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. The story was written in the form of journal. Below is the article summary. All rights reserved. In the autumn of 1869, he began law studies in Paris. He also wrote six short novels. Since the war figures significantly into the story, readers. It was in the latters home that he met many writers, including Emile Zola and Ivan Turgenev. Henry James's "Paste" adapts another story of his with a similar title, "The Jewels". 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. "Biography of Guy de Maupassant, Father of the Short Story." However, his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War. Maupassant was one of a fair number of 19th-century Parisians who disliked the Eiffel Tower. Whenever Flaubert was staying in Paris, he used to invite Maupassant to lunch on Sundays, lecture him on prose style, and correct his youthful literary exercises. His law studies were interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War; his experience as a volunteer provided him with material for some of his best works. In 1871, he left Normandy and moved to Paris, where he spent ten years as a clerk in the Navy Department. His editor, Havard, commissioned him to write more stories, and Maupassant continued to produce them efficiently and frequently. Fun facts: before fame, family life, popularity rankings, and more. Maupassant was a protg of Gustave Flaubert and his stories are characterized by economy of style and efficient, seemingly effortless dnouements. Corrections? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Maupassant penned his own epitaph: "I have coveted everything and taken pleasure in nothing." Top 10 Things to do Around the Eiffel Tower, 10 Things to Do in Paris on Christmas Day (2022), 10 Things to Do in Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. Discover Walks contributors speak from all corners of the world - from Prague to Bangkok, Barcelona to Nairobi. In the autumn of 1869 he began law studies in Paris, which were interrupted by the outbreak of the Franco-German War. Laure sent her son to make Flauberts acquaintance at Croisset in 1867, and when he returned to Paris after the war, she asked Flaubert to keep an eye on him. Guy de Maupassant is considered one of the finest short-story writers of all time and a champion of the realistic approach to writing. ThoughtCo. Unfortunately, he has to leave his studies due to he becomes a soldier. Some critics have charted his developing mental illness through the subject matter of his stories. He refused to undergo treatment, and it eventually affected his mental state. ")", Abamine, E. P. "German-French Sexual Encounters of the Franco-Prussian War Period in the Fiction of Guy de Maupassant. He moved from Normandy to Paris after the war, and after leaving his clerkship in the French Navy he worked for several prominent French newspapers. Maupassant's 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. [11], In 1867, as he entered junior high school, Maupassant met Gustave Flaubert at Croisset[fr] at the insistence of his mother. Lombardi, Esther. Flaubert characterized it as a masterpiece that will endure. It was followed by short stories such as Deux Amis, Mother Savage, and Mademoiselle Fifi. Maupassant is considered the father of the modern short story. Additionally, Maupassant also wrote under several pseudonyms, including Joseph Prunier, Guy de Valmont, and Maufrigneuse. Facts about Guy de Maupassant 2: His family His talent and practical business sense made him wealthy. He would lecture Maupassant on prose style and correct his youthful literary exercises. 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 (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. For classical studies in Institution Leroy-Petit, in Rouen. The short stories of writer Guy de Maupassant detail many aspects of French life in the 19th century. In his later years he developed a constant desire for solitude, an obsession for self-preservation, and a fear of death and paranoia of persecution caused by the syphilis he had contracted in his youth. Bel-Ami, novel by Guy de Maupassant, published in 1885. Member, Academy of Fine Arts, Institute of France, 196567. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Gustave Flaubert is a good friend of Laure Le Poittevin (Maupassants mother). 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 ". Hes my disciple and I love him like a son, Flaubert said of Maupassant. It was written to the Minister of Public Works. Unfortunately, he has to leave his studies due to he becomes a soldier. He died in a private asylum at the age of 42. Guy de Maupassant: Biography, Quotes & Facts. Henri Ren Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer. 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. He also authored a travel book titled, La Vie errante'. This theme of a working-class person unsuccessfully trying to rise above their station was common in de Maupassant's stories. Helpful Discussion Questions for 'The Necklace', Biography of Ernest Hemingway, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize Winning Writer, Biography of Kate Chopin, American Author and Protofeminist, Biography of Washington Irving, Father of the American Short Story, A List of Every Nobel Prize Winner in Literature, High School Vocabulary in Context Worksheets, Flash Fiction From Baudelaire to Lydia Davis, Classic British and American Essays and Speeches, Biography of Ray Bradbury, American Author, Life of Wilkie Collins, Grandfather of the English Detective Novel, Biography of Italo Calvino, Italian Novelist, M.A., English Literature, California State University - Sacramento, B.A., English, California State University - Sacramento. He was the first son of Laure Le Poitevin and Gustave de Maupassant. His realistic portrayal of life made his books and short stories accessible to those belonging to any social class. point of highest interest or excitement climax struggle within one person's mind internal conflict most important person in a story protagonist all-seeing, all-knowing omniscient the story introducing another story frame a single happening in a story incident If the author tells the story but does not take part, it is told in _____ person.