About
Yves Bonnefoy (1923-2016) was a French poet, critic, and translator, widely regarded as one of the most important French poets of the latter half of the 20th century. Born in Tours, he studied mathematics and philosophy at the Sorbonne. After an early interest in Surrealism, he distanced himself from the movement in 1947. His first major collection, 'Du mouvement et de l'immobilité de Douve' (1953), established his reputation. He was also renowned for his translations of Shakespeare, completing fifteen plays and all the sonnets. He held the Chair of Comparative Studies of the Poetic Function at the Collège de France from 1981 to 1993.
* 1923-06-24 — † 2016-07-01
Major works
- Du mouvement et de l'immobilité de Douve (1953)poetry
- Hier régnant désert (1958)poetry
- Pierre écrite (1965)poetry
- L'Arrière-pays (1972)prose
- Les Planches courbes (2001)poetry
Key milestones
- 1953Publication of his first major collection, 'Du mouvement et de l'immobilité de Douve'.
- 1981Elected professor at the Collège de France, holding the Chair of Comparative Studies of the Poetic Function.
- 2011Receives the Griffin Poetry Prize Lifetime Recognition Award.
Themes
presencedeathimmobilityplacetranslation
Sources: college-de-france.fr · britannica.com · poetryfoundation.org