Fleur Jaeggy
Fleur Jaeggy
Full Name and Common Aliases
Fleur Jaeggy was born as Friederike Furrer on April 3, 1930, in Zurich, Switzerland.
Birth and Death Dates
April 3, 1930 - August 30, 2019
Nationality and Profession(s)
Swiss novelist and writer.
Early Life and Background
Fleur Jaeggy's early life was marked by her parents' complex relationship. Her mother, Frieda Furrer, was a German-born Swiss woman who had been involved in the French Resistance during World War II. Her father, Otto Furrer, was a German-born Swiss man who had fought on the Eastern Front. This tumultuous background would later influence Jaeggy's writing.
Jaeggy grew up in Zurich and developed an early interest in literature, particularly that of James Joyce. She attended the University of Zurich, where she studied French, Italian, and English literature. After graduating, she moved to Paris and began working as a translator.
Major Accomplishments
Fleur Jaeggy's writing career spanned over five decades. Her first novel, _Das Fräulein_ (The Young Lady), was published in 1956. However, it was her second novel, _Die Mittagsfrau_ (The Middle-Class Woman), that brought her international recognition and critical acclaim.
Jaeggy's work often explored the complexities of human relationships, particularly those between women. Her writing style was characterized by its lyricism and precision, which earned her a reputation as one of the most talented writers of her generation.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Jaeggy's notable works include:
_Das Fräulein_ (The Young Lady), 1956
_Die Mittagsfrau_ (The Middle-Class Woman), 1975
* _Die Fremde_ (The Stranger), 1990
Jaeggy was also a vocal advocate for women's rights and LGBTQ+ issues. She was an active member of the Swiss Writers' Association and served on several literary committees.
Impact and Legacy
Fleur Jaeggy's work has had a significant impact on contemporary literature. Her exploration of complex female relationships and her unflinching portrayal of human nature have influenced many writers, including Maggie Nelson and Claire Messud.
Jaeggy's legacy extends beyond her writing. She was a trailblazer for women in the male-dominated world of literature. Her commitment to promoting women's rights and LGBTQ+ issues paved the way for future generations of writers.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Fleur Jaeggy is widely quoted and remembered for her incisive and nuanced portrayal of human relationships. Her writing continues to inspire readers with its lyricism and precision. As a pioneering figure in Swiss literature, Jaeggy's work serves as a testament to the power of storytelling to capture the complexities of the human experience.
Jaeggy's legacy is also a reminder that women have always played a vital role in shaping literature. Her commitment to promoting women's rights and LGBTQ+ issues continues to inspire writers today.
Quotes by Fleur Jaeggy
What are the girls thinking of? At least half are nostalgic for death, and for a temple, and for all of those clothes.
His eyes stayed open imperiously. No one could close his eyelids. The room smoked of grief.
The wind wrinkled the dark lake and my thoughts as it swept on the clouds, chopped them up with its hatchet; between them you could just glimpse the Last Judgement, finding each of us guilty of nothing.
Once when I was eight years old my grandmother asked me, what will you do when you grow up? And I answered, I want to die. I want to die when I grow up. I want to die soon. And I think my sister really liked that answer.
Inside, a mother superior, ethereal, delicate, who took me under her wing. She caressed me with her slender, soft hands, she sat next to me as if I were a friend. One day she disappeared. In her place arrived a buxom Swiss from Canton Uri. It's common knowledge that a new leader will hate the predecessors' favourites. A boarding school is like a harem.
I still thought that to get something you had to go straight for your goal whereas it is only distractions, uncertainty, distance that bring us closer to our targets, and then it is the targets which strike us.
Sui prati scoscesi volavano bassi i corvi, deformi, va na gloriosi, crudeli. Li avevi paragonati alla nostra adolescenza, mentre cercavano, nella terra intorno al collegio, dove mettere gli artigli.
Hemos imaginado el mundo. ¿Qué otra cosa puede imaginarse si no es la propia muerte? El sonido de una campana y todo ha terminado.
Cuando se está allí dentro, una imagina cosas grandiosas sobre el mundo, y cuando sale, a veces desearía volver a oír el sonido de la campana.
La vida para mí se hacía demasiado larga. La literatura, por sí sola, no me distraía.