About
Jean Anouilh was a French playwright born in 1910 in Cérisole, near Bordeaux. After studying at the Collège Chaptal and briefly attending law school, he worked in advertising before becoming secretary to Louis Jouvet in 1931. His first play, L'Hermine, was produced in 1932, but it was Le Voyageur sans bagages (1937) that brought him recognition. He is famous for his adaptation of Antigone (1944), performed during the Occupation. He categorized his plays into black, pink, brilliant, grating, costumed, and baroque pieces. Major works include L'Invitation au château (1950), La Valse des toréadors (1952), L'Alouette (1953), and Becket or the Honour of God (1959), which won a Tony Award.
* 1910-06-23 — † 1987-10-03
Major works
- L'Hermine (1932)play
- Le Voyageur sans bagages (1937)play
- Antigone (1944)play
- L'Invitation au château (1950)play
- Becket ou l'Honneur de Dieu (1959)play
Key milestones
- 1931Becomes secretary to Louis Jouvet at the Comédie des Champs-Élysées.
- 1944His play Antigone is performed in Paris during the Occupation.
- 1959Becket or the Honour of God wins a Tony Award.
Themes
Rewriting of mythsConflict between the individual andPurity and compromiseFate and freedomSocial hypocrisy
Sources: britannica.com · id.loc.gov · oxfordreference.com