About
Pierre-Jean de Béranger, born in Paris in 1780, was one of the most popular poets of his time. Raised partly by his aunt in Péronne, he educated himself through reading the classics. After an apprenticeship with a printer, he became a clerk at the secretariat of the Imperial University. His success came with the satirical song Le Roi d'Yvetot (1813). His collections, such as Chansons morales et autres (1815), reached a wide audience. Convicted in 1821 and 1828 for his writings deemed irreverent, he became a martyr for liberty. Refusing honors under the July Monarchy, he retired in 1833. After the 1848 revolution, he was elected deputy. He died in Paris in 1857.
* 1780-08-19 — † 1857-07-16
Major works
- Le Roi d'Yvetot (1813)song
- Chansons morales et autres (1815)song collection
- Œuvres complètes (1834)complete edition
- Dernières chansons (1857)song collection
- Ma biographie (1858)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1813Composes Le Roi d'Yvetot, a veiled satire of Napoleonic despotism.
- 1821Convicted for outraging public and religious morals, he is imprisoned.
- 1848Elected deputy to the Constituent Assembly after the February revolution.
Themes
political satirelibertypopular songsocial criticismpatriotism
Sources: entities.oclc.org · art.rmngp.fr · europeana.eu