Stéphane Mallarme
Stéphane Mallarmé: A Poetic Visionary
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Stéphane Mallarmé was born on March 18, 1842, in Paris, France. His full name is Stéphane Eugène Mallarmé.
Birth and Death Dates
March 18, 1842 – September 9, 1898
Nationality and Profession(s)
French poet, critic, and playwright. Mallarmé is considered one of the leading figures in the development of Symbolist poetry in France.
Early Life and Background
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Mallarmé was born into a family of modest means. His father, Eugène Mallarmé, was a successful lawyer who later became a judge. Stéphane's mother, Berthe Maille-Saint-Come, died when he was just six years old. This early loss had a profound impact on his life and writing.
Mallarmé began his education at the Lycée Fontanes in Paris, where he demonstrated a keen interest in literature and philosophy. He went on to study law at the University of Paris but eventually abandoned this path to pursue a career in writing.
Major Accomplishments
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Mallarmé's work as a poet, critic, and playwright was instrumental in shaping modern poetry. His innovative use of language, imagery, and symbolism influenced generations of writers, including T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, and Wallace Stevens.
Some of his notable works include:
"A Roll of the Dice Will Be Your Fortune" (Un Coup de Dés)
"Herodiade"
"L'Après-midi d'un Faune"
Mallarmé was also a pioneering critic, writing influential essays on literature and aesthetics. His work as an editor of the avant-garde journal _La Revue blanche_ helped to promote new ideas in art, literature, and philosophy.
Notable Works or Actions
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Mallarmé's poetry is characterized by its use of complex symbolism, imagery, and fragmentation. His most famous poem, "A Roll of the Dice Will Be Your Fortune," is a masterful example of his innovative style. The poem explores themes of chance, fate, and the search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world.
In addition to his writing, Mallarmé was a charismatic figure who gathered a circle of like-minded artists and intellectuals around him. His salon became a hub of creative activity, with regular gatherings featuring music, poetry readings, and lively discussions on art and philosophy.
Impact and Legacy
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Mallarmé's influence on modern literature is immeasurable. He helped to pave the way for Expressionism, Surrealism, and other avant-garde movements in art and literature. His emphasis on the individual's subjective experience and his rejection of traditional forms and structures had a profound impact on the development of poetry.
Today, Mallarmé is remembered as one of the greatest poets of the 19th century. His work continues to inspire writers, artists, and musicians around the world.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Mallarmé's poetry and ideas are widely quoted and remembered for several reasons:
Innovative style: Mallarmé's use of symbolism, imagery, and fragmentation created a new kind of poetry that was both beautiful and challenging.
Emphasis on individual experience: Mallarmé's focus on the individual's subjective experience helped to pave the way for modernist and postmodernist movements in literature.
Pioneering critic: Mallarmé's essays and reviews helped to promote new ideas in art, literature, and philosophy.
In conclusion, Stéphane Mallarmé was a true visionary who left an indelible mark on modern poetry. His innovative style, emphasis on individual experience, and pioneering work as a critic have made him one of the most widely quoted and remembered poets of all time.
Quotes by Stéphane Mallarme
In a museum in London there is an exhibit called “The Value of Man”: a long coffinlike box with lots of compartments where they’ve put starch phosphorus flour bottles of water and alcohol and big pieces of gelatin. I am a man like that.
I have made a long enough descent into the void to speak with certainty. There is nothing but beauty – and beauty has only one perfect expression, Poetry. All the rest is a lie.
Yes, I know, we are merely empty forms of matter, but we are indeed sublime in having invented God and our soul. So sublime, my friend, that I want to gaze upon matter, fully conscious that it exists, and yet launching itself madly into Dream, despite its knowledge that Dream has no existence, extolling the Soul and all the divine impressions of that kind which have collected within us from the beginning of time and proclaiming, in the face of the Void which is truth, these glorious lies!
