Guillaume Apollinaire

Guillaume Apollinaire

French writer
Date of Birth: 26.08.1880
Country: France

Content:
  1. Early Life and Influences
  2. Literary Beginnings
  3. "Alcools" and Poetic Innovation
  4. Calligrams and Artistic Revolution
  5. Legacy and Impact

Early Life and Influences

Guillame Apollinaire, born as Wilhelm Apollinaris de Kostrowitzky in Rome, was the illegitimate son of an Italian officer and a Polish noblewoman. His early years were spent in Monaco and then Paris, where he became immersed in the avant-garde art and literary scene.

Literary Beginnings

Apollinaire began his writing career using the pseudonym Guillame Apollinaire. For financial reasons, he penned pornographic novels, including the infamous "Les onze mille verges," which reinterpreted the works of the Marquis de Sade. His first significant literary work was 1907's "L'enchanteur pourrissant," which explored themes of love, the blending of reality and "superreality," and the paradoxical nature of truth and falsehood.

"Alcools" and Poetic Innovation

In 1913, Apollinaire published "Alcools," a groundbreaking collection of poems that reflected the intoxicating qualities of the modern world. Inspired by cubism, he combined elements of futurism and various literary styles, breaking down traditional narrative structures and experimenting with typography. The collection features the iconic "La chanson du mal-aimé," a poignant autobiographical poem expressing Apollinaire's unrequited love.

Calligrams and Artistic Revolution

During World War I, Apollinaire served as a soldier and was wounded in the head. His experiences inspired the experimental work "Le poète assassiné." In 1918, he released "Calligrammes," a collection of visual poems where text and imagery merge into abstract ideograms. Apollinaire also coined the term "surrealism" in connection with his "total theater" aesthetics, as exemplified in the play "Les mamelles de Tirésias."

Legacy and Impact

Apollinaire died from influenza in 1918 at the age of thirty-eight. His posthumously published collection, "L'hériarque et Cie," continued his exploration of fantastical reality. Apollinaire's innovative work in poetry, drama, and narrative form significantly influenced 20th-century literature, particularly the development of surrealism and the avant-garde.

© BIOGRAPHS