 |
Francis FitzgeraldAmerican writer, novelist
Date of Birth: 24.09.1896
Country:  USA |
Content:
Francis Fitzgerald Biography
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, an American writer and novelist, had a highly romanticized view of life and an enthusiastic outlook on things. He believed in living life to the fullest and experiencing as much as possible. Born on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, Fitzgerald was the only child in his family. His father came from an aristocratic family, while his mother was a simple provincial woman. Due to the social status differences between his parents, Francis sometimes saw himself as the heir of Francis Scott Key (author of "The Star-Spangled Banner," whom he was named after), and at other times as the descendant of Irish immigrants who were rough, unrefined, but hardworking and fun-loving. Because of this, Fitzgerald had an ambivalent attitude toward American reality and way of life - vulgar yet promising and progressive.
Early Life and Education
During his studies at St. Paul Academy from 1908 to 1910 and Newman School from 1911 to 1913, Fitzgerald dedicated a lot of time to self-study. As a result, his classmates ignored him and even made fun of him. However, Fitzgerald had a "blue" dream - to become an incredibly successful person in all aspects of life. He started to realize this goal at Princeton University. He gained recognition in the literary circles of the university and became friends with Edmund Wilson and John Bishop. Fitzgerald was a highly respected member of the Triangle Club, the university's theatrical community. Since student life at Princeton in the early 20th century revolved around various interest-based clubs, becoming the leader of one of these clubs was highly prestigious. Fitzgerald became a local authority figure.
Love and Early Success
Another aspect of Fitzgerald's success was his romance with Genevra King, the reigning beauty of the time. However, when their relationship ended, Fitzgerald was forced to leave Princeton. He returned a year later but found that his place had been taken by a new "hero." In search of a fresh perspective, Fitzgerald joined the army in November 1917. In July 1918, during a stop in Montgomery, he met Zelda Sayre, the daughter of an Alabama Supreme Court judge. Their sincere and radiant love became the motivation that brought Fitzgerald back to life and made him fight again to become a worthy husband for Zelda. In New York, Fitzgerald found a job in an advertising agency with a salary of $90 a month. It was impossible to live on such an income, so Zelda broke off their engagement, and Fitzgerald drowned his sorrows in alcohol. After some time of excessive drinking, Fitzgerald returned to St. Paul to finish the novel he had started at Princeton. The novel, titled "This Side of Paradise," was published in 1920, and Zelda married Fitzgerald. He thought he had everything he had ever dreamed of, and he knew he would never be as happy as he was in that moment. The novel, which drew from Fitzgerald's own life, brought him recognition, not just in Princeton but throughout America. "This Side of Paradise" established a new moral standard among young people and depicted the typical life of a young man in 1920s America. The popularity of Fitzgerald's novel opened doors for him in the literary world, with his works being published in prestigious magazines like Scribner's and newspapers like The Saturday Evening Post. This work also brought in a decent income, allowing him and Zelda to live in luxury. They were called the prince and princess of their generation by Ring Lardner. They loved this role but also feared it.
Later Life and Legacy
Fitzgerald's next novel, "The Beautiful and Damned" published in 1922, explored the fears they had about their privileged lifestyle. It portrayed the story of a beautiful young couple who wait their whole lives for an inheritance but gradually degrade. When they finally receive the inheritance, they find that they no longer need it, and all their dreams have been shattered. In an attempt to avoid the fate of his characters, Fitzgerald and his daughter Frances (known as Scottie) moved to the Riviera in 1924. There, they encountered an American community, with Gerald and Sara Murphy playing prominent roles. Fitzgerald depicted his impressions of the Riviera in his novel "Tender Is the Night," where the main character closely resembled Gerald Murphy. Upon their arrival in Paris in 1925, Fitzgerald completed his most famous novel, "The Great Gatsby," which became a defining work of the 1920s.
The following ten years of Fitzgerald's life were challenging. He began drinking heavily, and Zelda unexpectedly became obsessed with ballet. In 1930, she experienced a mental breakdown, which recurred in 1932. Despite their joint efforts to save their marriage, Fitzgerald once said, "I lost the ability to hope on the path leading to Zelda's hospital." Fitzgerald's last novel, "Tender Is the Night," was left unfinished due to his excessive drinking. In 1937, he decided to become a screenwriter in Hollywood, where he met Sheilah Graham and fell in love with her. In his final years, Fitzgerald lived peacefully with Graham, but during his bouts of drinking, he became violent. He periodically visited Zelda and their daughter, who enrolled at Vassar College in 1938. In October 1939, Fitzgerald began working on a novel about Hollywood called "The Last Tycoon," which drew inspiration from real-life producer Irving Thalberg. It was his final attempt to showcase the possibilities offered by America and how individuals pursued them. However, the novel remained unfinished. Fitzgerald passed away on December 12, 1940, at his home in California from a heart attack at the age of 44.
