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Auguste LacaussadeFrench writer, poet
Date of Birth: 08.02.1815
Country:  France |
Content:
- The Life and Works of Auguste Lacaussade
- Education and Literary Breakthrough
- Poetic Collections and Recognition
- Later Career and Honors
The Life and Works of Auguste Lacaussade
Early Life and InfluencesBorn in Saint-Denis, Bourbon Island (now Réunion), Auguste Lacaussade was the son of Pierre-Augustin Cazenave de Lacassade, a wealthy lawyer from Bordeaux, and Fanny-Lucille Desjardins, a Creole woman of mixed race. His status as a quarteron (one-quarter black) and illegitimate son significantly hindered his social mobility.
Education and Literary Breakthrough
Due to his low social status, Lacaussade was unable to pursue higher education in Paris. Instead, he studied medicine in Nantes, despite having no interest in pursuing a career as a notary. He briefly served as the literary secretary to Charles Sainte-Beuve before moving to Paris in 1839.
Lacaussade became a member of the "Parnassian" literary movement, known for its focus on form and objectivity. He worked as a translator of English and other languages, becoming renowned for his translations of the Gaelic poet Ossian.
Poetic Collections and Recognition
Lacaussade published several collections of his own poetry, including "Poems and Landscapes," "Wreckage," and "Poems." His work was well-received by critics and earned him recognition as a gifted poet.
Later Career and Honors
During the Second French Empire, Lacaussade served as the chief editor of the "Government Gazette." After his death, he was laid to rest at the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris. In 2006, his remains were transferred to his native island of Réunion.
