About
René Char is a major 20th-century French poet, born in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and died in Paris. Associated with Surrealism in the early 1930s, he soon distanced himself to develop an aphoristic and dense style. During World War II, he joined the Resistance under the name Capitaine Alexandre, commanding the Durance parachute drop zone. His collection Feuillets d'Hypnos (1946) reflects this experience. His complete works entered the Pléiade in 1983, a rare honor for a living author. He collaborated with many artists such as Braque, Picasso, Miró, Giacometti, and Matisse.
* 1907-06-14 — † 1988-02-19
Major works
- Le Marteau sans maître (1934)poetry
- Feuillets d'Hypnos (1946)prose poetry
- Fureur et Mystère (1948)poetry
- Les Matinaux (1950)poetry
- La Parole en archipel (1962)poetry
Key milestones
- 1940-1945Joined the Resistance under the name Capitaine Alexandre, commanding the Durance parachute drop zone.
- 1983His complete poetic works entered the Bibliothèque de la Pléiade, a rare honor for a living author.
- 1988Died in Paris on February 19.
Themes
Resistance and freedomNature and landscapeAphorism and brevityArt and collaborationMemory and history
Sources: library.princeton.edu · multimedia-ext.bnf.fr · latimes.com