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Maurice De GuerinFrench poet
Date of Birth: 05.08.1810
Country:  France |
Content:
- Maurice de Guérin: A Biographical Sketch
- Literary Endeavors
- Legacy and Recognition
- Re-evaluation and Influence
Maurice de Guérin: A Biographical Sketch
Early Life and InfluencesMaurice de Guérin was born into an impoverished noble family in France. In 1832, he joined the Christian socialist circle led by Abbé Lamennais. Subsequently, Guérin contributed to the Catholic publications "Revue Européenne" and "La France Catholique" after relocating from the province to Paris. He passed away from tuberculosis.
Literary Endeavors
In 1836, Guérin destroyed much of his previous writings. Aside from his poems and a journal, Guérin's literary output consisted of several prose poems. Notable among these are "The Centaur" and "The Bacchante." In the figure of the Centaur, a dweller of the high mountains who despises the inhabitants of the "valley," Guérin personified his own frustrations as a noble outcast.
Legacy and Recognition
Guérin's works were posthumously published by George Sand in "Revue des Deux Mondes." His sister, Eugénie de Guérin, played a pivotal role in his work, and their correspondence was published in 1862 by Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly. English poet and literary critic M. Arnold published an essay on Eugénie and Maurice de Guérin in his "Essays in Criticism" (1861).
In the 20th century, Symbolist writers such as Rémy de Gourmont and Huysmans recognized Guérin as a precursor to Baudelaire and Symbolism, particularly in the genre of prose poetry. "The Centaur" remains a classic example of the Romantic "prose poem."
Re-evaluation and Influence
Guérin's legacy was revived in the 20th century. His work has inspired writers like Rilke (who translated "The Centaur" into German), F. Mauriac, J.R. Jiménez, and F. Jaccottet. Since 1968, the Société des Amis d'Eugénie et Maurice de Guérin in France has promoted the publication of their works and studies on their writings.
