About
Paul Éluard, born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel, is a major French poet of the 20th century. He served as a medic during World War I and was gassed in the trenches. A co-founder of Surrealism with André Breton, he explored love, freedom, and dreams in works such as Capital of Pain. He broke with the movement in 1938 and joined the Communist Party in 1942. During World War II, he became a poet of the Resistance; his poem 'Liberté' was widely distributed. His lyrical and committed work earned him international fame.
* 1895-12-14 — † 1952-11-18
Major works
- Capitale de la douleur (1926)poetry collection
- L'Amour la poésie (1929)poetry collection
- L'Immaculée Conception (1930)poetry collection
- La Rose publique (1934)poetry collection
- Poésie et vérité (1942)poetry collection
Key milestones
- 1916Adopts the name Paul Éluard, borrowed from his maternal grandmother.
- 1938Breaks with the Surrealist movement, galvanized by the Spanish Civil War.
- 1942Joins the Communist Party and becomes a poet of the Resistance.
Themes
lovefreedomdreampolitical commitmentsurrealism
Sources: poetryfoundation.org · oxfordreference.com · nli.org.il