About
Alfred de Vigny (1797-1863) is a major French writer of Romanticism. Born into an aristocratic and military family, he served as an officer under the Restoration before devoting himself to literature. His novel Cinq-Mars (1826) is considered the first great French historical novel. As a playwright, he achieved resounding success with Chatterton (1835). His collection of short stories Servitude and Grandeur of Arms (1835) meditates on the soldier's condition. As a poet, he published Les Destinées, a posthumous collection (1864) containing his most famous poems. Elected to the Académie française in 1845, he later retired to his estate of Maine-Giraud, nicknamed his 'ivory tower'.
* 1797-03-27 — † 1863-09-17
Major works
- Cinq-Mars (1826)novel
- Chatterton (1835)play
- Servitude et grandeur militaires (1835)short stories
- Les Destinées (1864)poetry
Key milestones
- 1826Publication of Cinq-Mars, considered the first great French historical novel.
- 1835Premiere of his play Chatterton, a masterpiece of Romantic theater.
- 1845Election to the Académie française.
Themes
soldier's conditionsolitude of the artistdisillusionmentfatalitydignity in adversity
Sources: britannica.com · academie-francaise.fr