Every year on March 20, International Francophonie Day is celebrated. This day is dedicated to the French language, which is spoken by more than 200 million people around the world.
We took advantage of this opportunity and propose to remember the best French writers of our time, representing France in the international book arena.
Frederic Beigbeder . Prose writer, publicist, literary critic and editor. His literary works, with descriptions modern life, a person’s tossing around in the world of money and love experiences very quickly won fans around the world. The most sensational books, “Love Lives for Three Years” and “99 Francs,” were even filmed. The novels “Memoirs of an Unreasonable Man” also brought well-deserved fame to the writer. young man", "Holidays in a Coma", "Stories on Ecstasy", "Romantic Egoist". Over time, Beigbeder founded his own literary award, the Flora Prize.
Michel Houellebecq . One of the most widely read French writers beginning of the XXI century. His books have been translated into nearly three dozen languages, and he is extremely popular among young people. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the writer managed to touch upon pain points modern life. His novel “Elementary Particles” (1998) received the Grand Prix, and “Map and Territory” (2010) received the Prix Goncourt. They were followed by “Platform”, “Lanzarote”, “The Possibility of an Island”, etc., and each of these books became a bestseller.
The writer's new novel"Submission" tells about the collapse in the near future of modern political system France. The author himself defined the genre of his novel as “political fiction.” The action takes place in 2022. A Muslim president comes to power democratically, and the country begins to change before our eyes...
Bernard Werber . Cult science fiction writer and philosopher. His name on the cover of the book means only one thing - a masterpiece! The total worldwide circulation of his books is more than 10 million! The writer is best known for the trilogies “Ants”, “Thanatonautes”, “We Gods” and “The Third Humanity”. His books have been translated into many languages, and seven novels have become bestsellers in Russia, Europe, America and Korea. The author has won a lot of literary awards, incl. Jules Verne Prize.
One of the most sensational books of the writer -"Empire of Angels" where fantasy, mythology, mysticism and real life the most ordinary people. The main character of the novel goes to heaven, undergoes the “Last Judgment” and becomes an angel on Earth. According to heavenly rules, he is given three human clients, whose lawyer he must subsequently become the Last Judgment…
Guillaume Musso . A relatively young writer, very popular among French readers. Each of his new works becomes a bestseller, and films are made based on his works. The deep psychologism, piercing emotionality and vivid figurative language of the books fascinate readers all over the world. The action of his adventure and psychological novels takes place all over the world - in France, the USA and other countries. Following the heroes, readers go on adventures full of dangers, investigate mysteries, plunge into the abyss of the heroes’ passions, which, of course, gives a reason to look into their inner world.
Based on the writer's new novel"Because I love you" - the tragedy of one family. Mark and Nicole were happy until their little daughter - their only, long-awaited and adored child - disappeared...
Mark Levy . One of the most famous novelists, whose works have been translated into dozens of languages and published in huge editions. The writer is a laureate of the national Goya Prize. Steven Spielberg paid two million dollars for the rights to film his first novel, Between Heaven and Earth.
Literary critics note the versatility of the author’s work. His books include “Seven Days of Creation”, “Meet Again”, “Everyone Wants to Love”, “Leaving to Return”, “ Stronger than fear"etc. - a frequently encountered topic selfless love and sincere friendship, secrets of old mansions and intrigue, reincarnation and mysticism, unexpected twists in storylines.
Writer's new book"She and he" is one of the best novels of 2015. This romantic story about irresistible and unpredictable love.
Anna Gavalda
. A famous writer who captivated the world with her novels and their exquisite, poetic style. She is called the “star of French literature” and “the new Francoise Sagan.” Her books have been translated into dozens of languages, awarded a whole constellation of awards, and they have been used for performances and films. Each of her works is a story about love and how it adorns every person.
In 2002, the writer’s first novel, “I Loved Her, I Loved Him,” was published. But this was all just a prelude to the real success that the book brought her"Just together"
, which eclipsed even Brown’s novel “The Da Vinci Code” in France.This is amazingly wise and good book about love and loneliness, about life and, of course, happiness.
French literature XX century - literature written in French in the XX century. Many events in French literature during this period paralleled changes in the visual arts. French literature of this century is characterized by entertainment and detachment from life. French writers find the search for an ideal, a model for development, in Russian literature.
Review
French literature of the 20th century was greatly influenced by the historical events of the century, which was characterized by deep political, philosophical, moral and artistic crises.
The period under consideration covers in time last decades The Third Republic (1871-1940) (including the years of the First World War), the period of the Second World War (German occupation, the provisional French government (1944-1946) in the Fourth Republic (1946-1958), the years of the Fifth Republic (from 1959 to Important historical events for French literature are: the Dreyfus affair (the case of espionage for the German Empire by an officer of the French general staff, a Jew, captain Alfred Dreyfus); French colonialism and imperialism in Africa, the Far East (French Indochina) and in the regions; Pacific Ocean; Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962); the rise of the French Communist Party; the rise of fascism in Europe; events of May 1968, the influence of Russian emigration literature on French literature.
French literature of the 20th century did not develop in isolation, but under the influence of literatures, genres and writers from around the world, including Ivan Bunin, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Franz Kafka, John Dos Passos, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, James Joyce and many others. In turn, French literature influenced world literature.
In France in the 20th century, writers and poets Ivan Bunin, Merezhkovsky, Dmitry Sergeevich, Gippius, Zinaida Nikolaevna, K. D. Balmont, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, William S. Burroughs, Henry Miller, Anais Nin, lived and worked. James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Julio Cortazar, Nabokov, Edith Wharton and Eugene Ionesco. Some of the most important works in French were written by foreign authors (Eugene Ionesco, Samuel Beckett).
For Americans in the 1920s and 1930s (including the so-called “lost generation”), the fascination with France was also associated with freedom from prohibitions; for some Russian writers, their stay in France at the beginning of the century was associated with the non-acceptance of the Great October Socialist revolutions in Russia (Bunin, Merezhkovskys). For American blacks in the 20th century (for example, James Baldwin), France provided greater freedom. France in the 20th century was a more liberal country in terms of censorship, and many foreign authors published their works in France that might have been banned, for example, in America: Joyce Ulysses(Sylvia Beach publishing house. Paris, 1922), novel by V. Nabokov Lolita and William S. Burroughs "Naked Lunch"(both published by Olympia Press), Henry Miller Tropic of Cancer(Published by Obelisk Press).
Radical experiments were not appreciated by all literary and artistic circles of the early 20th century. Bourgeois tastes of that time were quite conservative. The poetic drama of Edmond Rostand was very popular at the beginning of the 20th century, especially his Cyrano de Bergerac, written in 1897.
The science fiction genre at the beginning of the 20th century included detective genre. Writers Gaston Leroux and Maurice Leblanc worked in this area.
1914 - 1945
Dada and surrealism
First World War gave rise to even more radical trends in literature. The Dada movement, which was founded in Switzerland in 1916 and moved to Paris in 1920, included writers Paul Éluard, André Breton, Louis Aragon and Robert Desnos. He was heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud with his concept of the unconscious. In literature and fine art, surrealists tried to identify the mechanisms of the subconscious. Increased interest in anti-bourgeois philosophy brought many writers into the ranks of the French Communist Party. Writers associated with surrealism were Jean Cocteau, René Crevel, Jacques Prévert, Jules Supervielle, Benjamin Péret, Philippe Soupault, Pierre Reverdy, Antonin Artaud (who revolutionized the theater), Henri Michaud and René Char. The surrealist movement remained for a long time the main direction in the art world until the Second World War. The technique of surrealism was well suited to poetry, theatrical productions. Surrealism was a major influence on the poets Saint-John Perse and Edmond Jabes. Some writers such as Georges Bataille ( secret society"Acephalus"), Roger Caillois and Michel Leiris created their own literary movements and groups, some of which were engaged in research into the irrational facts of social life.
Novel
In the first half of the century, the genre of the novel in France also underwent changes. Novelist Louis-Ferdinand Céline used slang in his novels to rail against the hypocrisy of his generation. However, Celine's anti-Semitic publications - pamphlets "Trifles for a Pogrom" ( Bagatelles pour un massacre) (1937), "School of Corpses" ( L'Ecole des cadavres) (1938) and “Got into trouble” ( Les Beaux Draps) (1941) for many years cemented Celine's reputation as an anti-Semite, racist and misanthrope. Novelist Georges Bernanos used a variety of methods to psychological research heroes of novels. Psychological analysis was important to François Mauriac and Jules Romain. Andre Gide experimented with genre in his novel "Counterfeiters", where he described a writer trying to write a novel.
Theater
Theatrical life of the 1920s and 1930s in France was represented by an association of theaters (the so-called "Cartel"), directors and producers Louis Jouvet, Charles Dullin, Gaston Baty, Georges Pitoev. They staged plays by French writers Jean Giraudoux, Jules Romain, Jean Anouilh and Jean-Paul Sartre, works of the Shakespearean theater, works of Luigi Pirandello, Chekhov and Bernard Shaw.
Existentialism
At the end of the 1930s, the works of writers E. Hemingway, W. Faulkner and Dos Passos were translated into French. The prose style of their works had a huge influence on the work of writers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, André Malraux and Albert Camus. Writers Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Malraux and Simone de Beauvoir (who is also known as one of the forerunners of feminism) are often called "existentialist writers".
In the French colonies
The 1930s and 1940s saw the development of literature in the French colonies. French (Martinic) writer Aimé Césaire, together with Léopold Sédar Senghor and Léon Damas, created a literary review L'Étudiant Noir, which was the forerunner of the Negritude movement, the theoretical basis of which is the concept of identity, self-worth and self-sufficiency of the Negroid race.
Literature after World War II
The 1950s and 1960s were very turbulent years in France. Despite the dynamic development of the economy, the country was torn apart by its colonial legacy (Vietnam and Indochina, Algeria). Collective feelings of guilt from the collaborationist Vichy regime, the desire for national prestige (Gaullism), and social conservative tendencies dominated the minds of the French intelligentsia of this time.
Inspired by the theatrical experiments of the first half of the century and the horrors of war, the so-called avant-garde Parisian theater " New theater"or "theater of the absurd" united around the writers Eugene Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Jean Genet, Arthur Adamov, Fernando Arrabal. The theater abandoned traditional characters, plots and productions. Other innovations in theatrical life- decentralization, development regional theater, "folk theater"(aimed at the working class), Bertolt Brecht's theater (largely unknown in France until 1954).
Poetry in the post-war period experienced a connection between poetry and fine arts. Famous poets this time
France is a country that is ahead of others. It was here that the first revolutions took place, and not only social, but also literary, which influenced the development of art throughout the world. and poets achieved unprecedented heights. It is also interesting that it was in France that the work of many geniuses was appreciated during their lifetime. Today we will talk about the most important writers and poets of the 19th - early 20th centuries, and also lift the veil over interesting moments their lives.
Victor Marie Hugo (1802-1885)
It is unlikely that other French poets can match the scope of Victor Hugo. A writer who was not afraid to raise sensitive social topics in his novels, and at the same time a romantic poet, he lived long life, saturated creative successes. Hugo was not only recognized as a writer during his lifetime - he became rich by practicing this craft.
After the "Cathedral" Notre Dame of Paris“His fame only grew. Are there many writers in the world who were able to live for 4 years on the street? In the 79th year of his life (on Victor Hugo’s birthday) they erected a triumphal arch- actually under the writer’s windows. 600,000 admirers of his talent passed through her that day. Soon the street was renamed Avenue Victor-Hugo.
After himself, Victor Marie Hugo left not only beautiful works and a large inheritance, 50,000 francs of which were bequeathed to the poor, but also a strange clause in his will. He ordered the capital of France, Paris, to be renamed Hugopolis. Actually, this is the only point that was not fulfilled.
Théophile Gautier (1811-1872)
When Victor Hugo struggled with classicist criticism, he was one of its most prominent and loyal supporters. French poets received an excellent addition to their ranks: Gautier not only had an impeccable command of writing technique, but also discovered new era in the art of France, which subsequently influenced the whole world.
Having published his first collection in best traditions romantic style, Théophile Gautier at the same time excluded from poetry traditional themes and changed the vector of poetry. He didn't write about the beauty of nature, eternal love and politics. Moreover, the poet declared the technical complexity of the verse to be the most important component. This meant that his poems, while remaining romantic in form, were not essentially romantic - feelings gave way to form.
The last collection, “Enamels and Cameos,” which is considered the pinnacle of Théophile Gautier’s work, also included the manifesto of the “Parnassian school” - “Art.” He proclaimed the principle of “art for art’s sake,” which French poets accepted unconditionally.
Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891)
The French poet Arthur Rimbaud inspired more than one generation with his life and poetry. He ran away from home several times to Paris, where he met Paul Verlaine, sending him the poem “The Drunken Ship.” The friendly relationship between the poets very soon grew into love. This is what caused Verlaine to leave the family.
During Rimbaud’s lifetime, only 2 collections of poetry were published and, separately, his debut poem “The Drunken Ship,” which immediately brought him recognition. It is interesting that the poet’s career was very short: he wrote all his poems between the ages of 15 and 21. And after Arthur, Rimbaud simply refused to write. Flatly. And he became a merchant, selling spices, weapons and... people until the end of his life.
Famous French poets and Guillaume Apollinaire are recognized heirs of Arthur Rimbaud. His work and persona inspired Henry Miller's essay “A Time for Assassins,” and Patti Smith constantly talks about the poet and quotes his poems.
Paul Verlaine (1844-1896)
French poets late XIX centuries elected Paul Verlaine as their “king”, but there was little of the king in him: a rowdy and a reveler, Verlaine described the unsightly side of life - dirt, darkness, sins and passions. One of the “fathers” of impressionism and symbolism in literature, the poet wrote poems, the beauty of which no translation can convey.
No matter how vicious the French poet was, Rimbaud played a huge role in his future fate. After meeting young Arthur, Paul took him under his wing. He looked for housing for the poet, even rented a room for him for some time, although he was not wealthy. Their love affair lasted several years: after Verlaine left the family, they traveled, drank and indulged in pleasure as best they could.
When Rimbaud decided to leave his lover, Verlaine shot him in the wrist. Although the victim refused to make a statement, Paul Verlaine was sentenced to two years in prison. He never recovered after that. Due to the impossibility of refusing the company of Arthur, Rimbaud Verlaine was never able to return to his wife - she obtained a divorce and completely ruined him.
Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918)
The son of a Polish aristocrat, born in Rome, Guillaume Apollinaire belongs to France. It was in Paris that he lived his youth and mature years, until his death. Like other French poets of that time, Apollinaire was looking for new forms and possibilities, striving for shocking - and succeeded in this.
After publication prose works In the spirit of deliberate immoralism and the mini-collection of poetry “Bestiary, or Orpheus’s Cortege,” published in 1911, Guillaume Apollinaire published the first full-fledged collection of poetry, “Alcohols” (1913), which immediately attracted attention for its lack of grammar, baroque images and changes tones.
The collection “Caligrams” went even further - all the poems included in this collection are written in an amazing way: the lines of the works are lined up in different silhouettes. The reader sees a woman in a hat, a dove that flies over a fountain, a vase of flowers... This form conveys the essence of the verse. The method, by the way, is far from new - the British began to give form to poetry in the 17th century, but at that moment Apollinaire anticipated the advent of “automatic writing”, which the surrealists loved so much.
The term “surrealism” belongs specifically to Guillaume Apollinaire. He appeared after the production of his “surrealist drama” “The Tits of Tiresias” in 1917. From that time on, the circle of poets with him at the head began to be called surrealists.
André Breton (1896-1966)
The meeting with Guillaume Apollinaire became significant. It happened at the front, in a hospital, where young Andre, a physician by training, served as an orderly. Apollinaire received a concussion (a shell fragment hit his head), from which he never recovered.
Since 1916, Andre Breton has taken an active part in the work of the poetic avant-garde. He meets Louis Aragon, Philippe Soupault, Paul Eluard, and discovers the poetry of Lautréamont. In 1919, after the death of Apollinaire, shocking poets began to organize around Andre Breton. Also this year, a joint work with Philippe Soupault “ Magnetic fields”, written using the “automatic writing” method.
Since 1924, after the proclamation of the first Manifesto of Surrealism, Andre Breton became the head of the movement. The Bureau of Surrealist Research opens in his house on Avenue Fontaine, and magazines begin to be published. This was the beginning of a truly international movement - similar bureaus began to open in many cities around the world.
The French communist poet Andre Breton actively campaigned for his supporters to join the Communist Party. He believed so much in the ideals of communism that he was even honored with a meeting with Leon Trotsky in Mexico (although at that time he had already been expelled from the Communist Party).
Louis Aragon (1897-1982)
Apollinaire's faithful ally and comrade-in-arms, Louis Aragon became for Andre Breton right hand. French poet, communist before last breath, in 1920 Aragon published his first collection of poems, Fireworks, written in the style of surrealism and Dada.
After the poet joined Communist Party in 1927, together with Breton, his work was transformed. He in some way becomes the “voice of the party”, and in 1931 he is prosecuted for the poem “Red Front”, imbued with a dangerous spirit of incitement.
Louis Aragon's History of the USSR also belongs to Peru. He defended the ideals of communism until the end of his life, although he last works returned a little to the traditions of realism, not painted in “red.”
French literature is one of the treasuries of world culture. It deserves to be read in all countries and in all centuries. The problems that French writers raised in their works have always worried people, and the time will never come when they will leave the reader indifferent. Epochs, historical settings, costumes of characters change, but passions, the essence of relationships between men and women, their happiness and suffering remain unchanged. The tradition of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was continued by modern French writers and literary figures of the 20th century.
Commonality of Russian and French literary schools
What do we know about European wordsmiths in the relatively recent past? Of course, many countries have made significant contributions to the common cultural heritage. Wonderful books were written by Britain, Germany, Austria, Spain, but in terms of quantity outstanding works The first places are, of course, occupied by Russian and French writers. The list of them (both books and authors) is truly huge. It is no wonder that there are multiple publications, there are many readers, and today, in the age of the Internet, the list of film adaptations is also impressive. What is the secret of this popularity? Both Russia and France have long-standing humanistic traditions. The focus of the plot, as a rule, is not historical event, no matter how outstanding it may be, but a person, with his passions, advantages, disadvantages and even weaknesses and vices. The author does not undertake to condemn his characters, but prefers to let the reader draw his own conclusions about what fate to choose. He even pities those of them who chose Wrong Way. There are many examples.
How Flaubert felt sorry for his Madame Bovary
Gustave Flaubert was born on December 12, 1821 in Rouen. The monotony of provincial life was familiar to him from childhood, and even in his mature years he rarely left his town, only once committing long journey to the East (Algeria, Tunisia), and, of course, visited Paris. This French poet and writer wrote poems that seemed to many critics then (this opinion still exists today) to be too melancholic and languid. In 1857, he wrote the novel Madame Bovary, which became notorious at the time. The story of a woman who sought to break out of the hateful circle of everyday life and therefore cheated on her husband, then seemed not just controversial, but even indecent.
However, this plot, alas, is quite common in life, performed by the great master, and goes far beyond the scope of the usual obscene anecdote. Flaubert tries, and with great success, to penetrate into the psychology of his characters, towards whom he sometimes feels anger, expressed in merciless satire, but more often - pity. His heroine dies tragically, the despised and loving husband, apparently (this is more likely to be guessed than indicated by the text) knows about everything, but sincerely grieves, mourning his unfaithful wife. And Flaubert and other French writers XIX centuries, quite a lot of works were devoted to issues of fidelity and love.
Maupassant
With the light hand of many literary writers he is considered almost the founder of romantic eroticism in literature. This opinion is based on some moments in his works containing immodest, by the standards of the 19th century, descriptions of scenes of an intimate nature. From today's art historical perspective, these episodes look quite decent and, in general, are justified by the plot. Moreover, this is not the main thing in the novels, novels and stories of this wonderful writer. The first place in importance is again occupied by relationships between people and such personal qualities as depravity, the ability to love, forgive and simply be happy. Like other famous French writers, Maupassant studies the human soul and reveals the necessary conditions his freedom. He is tormented by hypocrisy" public opinion”, created precisely by those who themselves are by no means impeccable, but impose their ideas of decency on everyone.
For example, in the story “Zolotar” he describes the story touching love a French soldier to a black colonial woman. His happiness did not materialize; his relatives did not understand his feelings and were afraid of possible condemnation from their neighbors.
The writer's aphorisms about war are interesting, which he likens to a shipwreck, and which should be avoided by all world leaders with the same caution as ship captains avoid reefs. Maupassant shows observation by contrasting low self-esteem with excessive complacency, considering both of these qualities to be harmful.
Zola
No less, and perhaps much more shocking to the reading public was the French writer Emile Zola. He willingly took the life of courtesans (“The Trap”, “Nana”), the inhabitants of the social bottom (“The Womb of Paris”) as the basis of the plot, and described in detail hard life coal miners (“Germinal”) and even the psychology of a homicidal maniac (“The Beast Man”). Unusual general literary form, selected by the author.
He combined most of his works into a twenty-volume collection, collectively called Rougon-Macquart. With all the variety of subjects and expressive forms, it represents something unified that should be perceived as a whole. However, any of Zola’s novels can be read separately, and this will not make it any less interesting.
Jules Verne, science fiction writer
Another French writer, Jules Verne, does not need special presentation, he became the founder of the genre, which later received the definition of “sci-fi”. What did this amazing storyteller not think of, who foresaw the emergence of nuclear submarines, torpedoes, lunar rockets and other modern attributes that became the property of mankind only in the twentieth century. Many of his fantasies today may seem naive, but the novels are easy to read, and this is their main advantage.
In addition, the plots of modern Hollywood blockbusters about dinosaurs resurrected from oblivion look much less plausible than the story of antediluvian dinosaurs that never went extinct on a single Latin American plateau, found by brave travelers (“The Lost World”). And the novel about how the Earth screamed from a merciless prick of a giant needle completely goes beyond genre boundaries, being perceived as a prophetic parable.
Hugo
The French writer Hugo is no less fascinating in his novels. His characters fall into the most various circumstances, showing bright personality traits. Even negative heroes(for example, Javert from Les Misérables or Claude Frollo from Notre Dame) have a certain charm.
The historical component of the story is also important, from which the reader will learn a lot with ease and interest. useful facts, in particular, about the circumstances French Revolution and Bonapartism in France. Jean Voljean from Les Miserables became the personification of simple-minded nobility and honesty.
Exupery
Modern French writers, and literary scholars include all the writers of the “Heminway-Fitzgerald” era as such, have also done a lot to make humanity wiser and kinder. The twentieth century did not spoil Europeans for decades of peace, and memories of Great War The years 1914-1918 soon received a reminiscence in the form of another global tragedy.
Didn't stay away from the fight honest people the whole world with fascism and the French writer Exupery - a romantic, creator of an unforgettable image Little Prince and a military pilot. The posthumous popularity of this writer in the USSR of the fifties and sixties could be the envy of many pop stars, who performed songs, including those dedicated to his memory and his main character. And today, the thoughts expressed by a boy from another planet still call for kindness and responsibility for one’s actions.
Dumas, son and father
There were actually two of them, father and son, and both were wonderful French writers. Who doesn’t know the famous musketeers and their faithful friend D’Artagnan? Many film adaptations have glorified these characters, but none of them have been able to convey the charm of the literary source. The fate of the prisoner of the Chateau d'If will not leave anyone indifferent (“The Count of Monte Cristo”), and other works are very interesting. They will also be useful for young people whose personal development is just beginning; there are more than enough examples of true nobility in the novels of Dumas the Father.
As for his son, he didn’t put him to shame either famous family. Novels "Doctor Servan", "Three strong men“and other works clearly highlighted the peculiarities and bourgeois features of contemporary society, and “The Lady of the Camellias” not only enjoyed well-deserved reader success, but also inspired the Italian composer Verdi to write the opera “La Traviata”; it formed the basis of its libretto.
Simenon
Detective will always be one of the most read genres. The reader is interested in everything about it - who committed the crime, the motives, the evidence, and the inevitable exposure of the perpetrators. But there is a difference between detective and detective. One of best writers modern era, of course, is Georges Simenon, the creator of the unforgettable image of the Parisian police commissioner Maigret. On my own artistic technique quite common in world literature, the image of an intellectual detective with an indispensable feature of appearance and recognizable behavior has been exploited more than once.
Simenon's Maigret differs from many of his “colleagues” in the kindness and sincerity characteristic of French literature. He is sometimes ready to meet halfway people who have stumbled and even (oh, horror!) to violate certain formal articles of the law, while still remaining faithful to it in the main thing, not in the letter, in its spirit (“And yet the hazel tree turns green”).
Simply a wonderful writer.
Gra
If we take a break from the past centuries and mentally return to modern times, then the French writer Cedric Gras, a great friend of our country, who dedicated two books to the Russian Far East and its inhabitants, deserves attention. Having seen many exotic regions of the planet, he became interested in Russia, lived in it for many years, learned the language, which undoubtedly helps him to understand the notorious “ mysterious soul", about which he is already finishing writing a third book on the same topic. Here Gra found something that, apparently, he so lacked in his prosperous and comfortable homeland. He is attracted by a certain “strangeness” (from a European point of view) of the national character, the desire of men to be courageous, their recklessness and openness. For the Russian reader, the French writer Cedric Gras is interesting precisely because of this “look from the outside,” which is gradually becoming more and more ours.
Sartre
Perhaps there is no other French writer so close to the Russian heart. Much in his work is reminiscent of another great literary figure of all times and peoples - Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. Jean-Paul Sartre's first novel, Nausea (many consider it his best), affirmed the concept of freedom as an internal category, not subject to external circumstances, to which a person is doomed by the very fact of his birth.
The author's position was confirmed not only by his novels, essays and plays, but also by personal behavior demonstrating complete independence. A man of leftist views, he nevertheless criticized the policies of the USSR in the post-war period, which did not prevent him, in turn, from refusing the prestigious Nobel Prize, awarded for allegedly anti-Soviet publications. For the same reasons, he did not accept the Order of the Legion of Honor. Such a nonconformist deserves respect and attention; he is certainly worth reading.
Vive la France!
Many other outstanding French writers are not mentioned in the article, not because they are less deserving of love and attention. You can talk about them endlessly, enthusiastically and enthusiastically, but until the reader himself picks up the book and opens it, he does not fall under the spell of the wonderful lines, sharp thoughts, humor, sarcasm, light sadness and kindness emitted by the pages . There are no mediocre peoples, but there are, of course, outstanding ones who have made a special contribution to the world treasury of culture. For those who love Russian literature, it will be especially pleasant and useful to become familiar with the works of French authors.
Famous French writers have made an invaluable contribution to world literature. From the existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre to Flaubert's commentary on society, France is well known for bringing examples to the world literary geniuses. Thanks to many famous sayings that quote literary masters from France, there is a good chance that you are very familiar with, or at least have heard of, works of French literature.
Over the centuries, many great literary works have appeared in France. While this list is hardly comprehensive, it contains some of the greatest literary masters who ever lived. Most likely you have read or at least heard about these famous French writers.
Honore de Balzac, 1799-1850
Balzac is a French writer and playwright. One of his most famous works, The Human Comedy, was his first real taste of success in literary world. In fact, his personal life became more about trying something and failing than actual success. He is considered by many literary critics to be one of the "founding fathers" of realism because The Human Comedy was a commentary on all aspects of life. This is a collection of all the works he wrote under his own name. Father Goriot is often cited in French literature courses as a classic example of realism. A story of King Lear set in 1820s Paris, Père Goriot is Balzac's reflection of a money-loving society.
Samuel Beckett, 1906-1989
Samuel Beckett is actually Irish, but he wrote mostly in French because he lived in Paris, moving there in 1937. He is considered the last great modernist and some argue that he is the first postmodernist. Particularly outstanding in his personal life was involved in the French Resistance during World War II, when he was under German occupation. Although Beckett published widely, he was most renowned for his theater of the absurd, depicted in the play En attendant Godot (Waiting for Godot).
Cyrano de Bergerac, 1619-1655
Cyrano de Bergerac is best known for the play that Rostand wrote about him called Cyrano de Bergerac. The play has been staged and made into films many times. The plot is well known: Cyrano loves Roxane, but stops courting her in order to read his poems to her on behalf of his not so eloquent friend. Rostand most likely embellishes the real characteristics of de Bergerac's life, although he really was a phenomenal swordsman and a delightful poet.
It can be said that his poetry is more famous than Rostand's play. According to descriptions, he had an extremely large nose of which he was very proud.
Albert Camus, 1913-1960
Albert Camus is an Algerian-born author who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. He was the first African to achieve this and the second youngest writer in literary history. Despite being associated with existentialism, Camus rejects any labels. His two most famous novels are absurd: L "Étranger (The Stranger) and Le Mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus). He was perhaps best known as a philosopher and his works are a reflection of the life of that time. In fact, he wanted to become footballer, but contracted tuberculosis at the age of 17 and was bedridden for a long period of time.
Victor Hugo, 1802-1885
Victor Hugo would call himself primarily a humanist who used literature to describe the conditions of human life and the injustices of society. Both of these themes are easily visible in two of his most famous works: Les misèrables (Les Miserables), and Notre-Dame de Paris (Notre Dame Cathedral is also known by its popular name - The Hunchback of Notre Dame).
Alexandre Dumas, father 1802-1870
Alexandre Dumas is considered the most by a widely read author V French history. He is known for his historical novels, which describe the dangerous adventures of heroes. Dumas was a prolific writer and many of his stories are still retold today:
Three Musketeers
Count of Montecristo
The Man in the Iron Mask
1821-1880
His first published novel, Madame Bovary, became perhaps his most famous work. It was originally published as a series of novellas, and the French authorities filed a lawsuit against Flaubert for immorality.
Jules Verne, 1828-1905
Jules Verne is especially famous because he was one of the first authors to write science fiction. Many literary critics He is even considered one of the founding fathers of the genre. He wrote many novels, here are some of the most famous:
Twenty thousand leagues under the sea
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Around the world in 80 Days
Other French writers
Moliere
Emile Zola
Stendhal
George Sand
Musset
Marcel Proust
Rostand
Jean-Paul Sartre
Madame de Scudery
Stendhal
Sully-Prudhomme
Anatole France
Simone de Beauvoir
Charles Baudelaire
Voltaire
In France, literature was, and continues to be, the driving force of philosophy. Paris is fertile ground for the newest ideas, philosophies and movements the world has ever seen.
Famous French writers
Famous French writers have made invaluable contributions to the world
literature. From the existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre to commentaries on
Flaubert Society, France is well known for the phenomenon of world examples
literary geniuses. Thanks to the many famous sayings that
quote masters of literature from France, there is a high probability
that you are very familiar with, or at least have heard, about
works of French literature.
Over the centuries, many great works of literature have appeared
in France. While this list is hardly comprehensive, it does contain some
one of the greatest literary masters who ever lived. Quicker
everything you have read or at least heard about these famous French
writers.
Honore de Balzac, 1799-1850
Balzac is a French writer and playwright. One of his most famous
works "The Human Comedy" became his first real taste of success in
literary world. In fact, his personal life became more of an attempt
trying something and failing rather than actually succeeding. He, according to
according to many literary critics, is considered one of
"founding fathers" of realism, because the "Human Comedy" was
commentary on all aspects of life. This is a collection of all the works that he
wrote under his own name. Father Goriot is often cited in courses
French literature as a classic example of realism. History of the King
Lear, taking place in the 1820s in Paris, the book "Père Goriot" is
Balzac's reflection of a money-loving society.
Samuel Beckett, 1906-1989
Samuel Beckett is actually Irish, but he mostly wrote
in French, because he lived in Paris, moving there in 1937. He
considered the last great modernist and some argue that he is
the first postmodernist. Particularly outstanding in his personal life was
participation in the French Resistance during World War II,
when it was under German occupation. Although Beckett published a lot,
he most of all for his theater of the absurd, depicted in the play En attendant
Godot (Waiting for Godot).
Cyrano de Bergerac, 1619-1655
Cyrano de Bergerac is best known for the play that was
written about him by Rostand under the title "Cyrano de Bergerac". play
It has been staged and made into films many times. The plot is familiar: Cyrano
loves Roxana, but stops courting her so as not to
such an eloquent friend to read his poems to her. Rostand most likely
embellishes the real characteristics of de Bergerac's life, although he
he truly was a phenomenal swordsman and a delightful poet.
It can be said that his poetry is more famous than Rostand's play. By
He is described as having an extremely large nose, of which he was very proud.
Albert Camus, 1913-1960
Albert Camus is an author of Algerian origin who received
Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. He was the first African
who achieved this, and the second youngest writer in history
literature. Despite the fact that he is associated with existentialism, Camus
rejects any labels. His two most famous novels are absurd:
L "Étranger (The Stranger) and Le Mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus). He was,
perhaps best known as a philosopher and his works - mapping
life of that time. In fact, he wanted to become a football player, but
contracted tuberculosis at the age of 17 and was bedridden in
over a long period of time.
Victor Hugo, 1802-1885
Victor Hugo would call himself first and foremost a humanist who used
literature to describe the conditions of human life and injustice
society. Both of these themes can be easily seen in two of his most famous
works: Les misèrables (Les Miserables), and Notre-Dame de Paris (The Cathedral
Notre Dame is also known by its popular name - The Hunchback of
Notre Dame).
Alexandre Dumas, father 1802-1870
Alexandre Dumas is considered the most widely read author in French history.
He is known for his historical novels that depict dangerous
adventures of heroes. Dumas was prolific in writing and many of his
The stories are still retold today:
Three Musketeers
Count of Montecristo
The Man in the Iron Mask
The Nutcracker (made famous through Tchaikovsky's ballet version)
Gustave Flaubert 1821-1880
His first published novel, Madame Bovary, became perhaps the most
famous for his work. It was originally published as a series
novel, and the French authorities filed a lawsuit against Flaubert for
immorality.
Jules Verne 1828-1905
Jules Verne is especially famous because he was one of the first authors
who wrote science fiction. Many literary critics even consider
him one of the founding fathers of the genre. He wrote many novels, here
some of the most famous:
Twenty thousand leagues under the sea
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Around the world in 80 Days
Other French writers
There are many other great French writers:
Moliere
Emile Zola
Stendhal
George Sand
Musset
Marcel Proust
Rostand
Jean-Paul Sartre
Madame de Scudery
Stendhal
Sully-Prudhomme
Anatole France
Simone de Beauvoir
Charles Baudelaire
Voltaire
In France, literature was, and continues to be, the driving force of philosophy.
Paris is fertile ground for new ideas, philosophies and movements that
ever seen the world.
