About
Delphine de Girardin, née Gay, was a major figure in French literary life in the 19th century. Daughter of novelist Sophie Gay, she first gained recognition for her poems, then married journalist Émile de Girardin. Under the pseudonym Vicomte de Launay, she wrote a celebrated society column in the newspaper La Presse from 1836 to 1848, becoming one of the first major female journalists in France. She also authored novels, plays, and poetry, and hosted a literary salon attended by the greatest writers of her time.
* 1804-01-24 — † 1855-06-28
Major works
- Essais poétiques (1824)poetry
- Contes d'une vieille fille à ses neveux (1832)short story collection
- La Canne de Monsieur de Balzac (1836)novel
- Lettres parisiennes (1843)chronicles
- Lady Tartuffe (1853)play
Key milestones
- 1822Received an honorable mention from the Académie française for her poem about the Barcelona epidemic.
- 1836Began her column in La Presse under the pseudonym Vicomte de Launay.
- 1855Died in Paris on June 29.
Themes
Parisian high societyWomen's conditionLove and marriageSocial satireTheater and poetry
Sources: data.bnf.fr · britishmuseum.org · oxfordreference.com