Stendhal: biography and creativity. Interesting facts from life
Marie-Henri Baile(French Marie-Henri Beyle; January 23, 1783, Grenoble - March 23, 1842, Paris) - French writer, one of the founders of the psychological novel. He appeared in print under various pseudonyms, and published the most important works under the name Stendhal. During his lifetime, he was known not so much as a fiction writer, but as an author of books about the sights of Italy.
Stendhal chronological table
1796-1799- studied at the Central Grenoble school, which was one of the most progressive elite educational institutions.
1799 g.- went to Paris with the intention of continuing his education in the capital, but a political coup that took place, as a result of which the young general Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in the country, forced the young man to forget about his studies and join the Napoleonic army.
1800-1814- years of military service. As an officer, Stendal traveled to Italy (where he became seriously interested in studying Italian painting), participated in hostilities in Austria and Germany (where he visited the town of Stendal, who gave him a literary pseudonym), shared with his comrades the hardships of a campaign in Russia, during which he became witnessed the famous fire in Moscow in 1812. Stendhal's military career ended after the fall of his idol - Napoleon, to whose image he repeatedly turned in his work, in particular, in books "The Life of Napoleon"(1817) and "Memories of Napoleon"(1837) left unfinished.
1814 g.- the restoration of the Bourbon regime forced Stendhal to leave for Italy, to Milan, where he became close to the political movement of the Carbonari (from Italian. carbonari- coal miners) - fighters for the liberation of Italy from the power of foreign states. There Stendhal met Byron and Italian poets.
1821 g.- after the defeat of the Neapolitan revolution, the writer returned to Paris, where he collaborated with various publications as a journalist.
1822 g.- finished work on "A treatise on love", in which he developed the original theory of love feelings.
1827 g.- published his first work of fiction - a novel “Armance. Scenes from the life of the Parisian salon of 1827».
1829 g.- saw the light of his travel notes "Walks in Rome" and short story "Vanina Vanini"... Material from the site http://iEssay.ru
1830 g.- created a novel "Red and black", who established a realistic trend in French literature. In the same year, Stendhal entered the diplomatic service and, having been appointed to the post of French consul to Italy, settled in the small seaside town of Civitavecchia.
1830-1840- period of creative take-off. During this time, from the pen of Stendhal came "Memories of an egoist"(1832), novel Lucien Leuven(1835), autobiographical notes "The Life of Henri Brulard"(1836), cycle of stories "Italian Chronicles"(1839) and the novel "Parma monastery"(1838), written in just fifty-two days. At the end of this period, the writer took up a new novel - "Lamiel".
Frédéric Stendhal is the literary pseudonym of Henri Marie Beyle, a famous French writer who is one of the founders of the psychological novel genre, one of the most prominent French writers of the 19th century. During his lifetime, he gained fame less of a fiction writer and more of a writer of books on Italian landmarks. Born on January 23, 1783 in Grenoble.
His father, a wealthy lawyer, who lost his wife early (Henri Marie was 7 years old) did not pay enough attention to raising his son.
As a pupil of Abbot Rallian, Stendhal developed an antipathy to religion and the church. Passion for the works of Holbach, Diderot and other philosophers-enlighteners, as well as the First French Revolution had a huge impact on the formation of the views of Stendhal. Throughout his later life, he remained faithful to the revolutionary ideals and defended them as decisively as none of his fellow writers who lived in the 19th century did.
For three years, Henri studied at the Central School of Grenoble, and in 1799 he left for Paris, intending to become a student at the Ecole Polytechnique. However, Napoleon's coup made such a strong impression on him that he enlisted in the active army. Young Henri found himself in the Italian North, and this country remained forever in his heart. In 1802, filled with disillusionment with Napoleon's policy, he resigned, settled for three years in Paris, read a lot, becoming a frequenter of literary salons and theaters, dreaming of a career as a playwright. In 1805 he again found himself in the army, but this time as a quartermaster. Accompanying troops on military campaigns until 1814, he, in particular, took part in the battles of the Napoleonic army in Russia in 1812.
Negative of the return of the monarchy in the person of the Bourbons, Stendhal, after the defeat of Napoleon, retires and for seven years moves to Milan, Italy, where his first books appear: "The Life of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio" (published in 1817), as well as research Rome, Naples and Florence and the two-volume History of Painting in Italy.
The persecution of the Carbonari, which began in the country in 1820, forced Stendhal to return to France, but rumors of his "suspicious" connections served him in disservice, forcing him to behave extremely cautiously. Stendhal collaborates with English magazines without signing the publication with his name. A number of works appeared in Paris, in particular, the treatise "Racine and Shakespeare" published in 1823, which became the manifesto of the French romantics. These years in his biography were quite difficult. The writer was filled with pessimism, his financial situation depended on occasional earnings, he wrote a will more than once during this time.
When the July Monarchy was established in France, in 1830 Stendhal got the opportunity to enter the civil service. King Louis appointed him consul to Trieste, but unreliability allowed him to take this position only in Civita Vecchia. He, who has an atheistic worldview, sympathizes with revolutionary ideas, who composed works imbued with the spirit of protest, found it equally difficult to live in France and Italy.
From 1836 to 1839, Stendhal was in Paris on a long vacation, during which his last famous novel, The Cloister of Parma, was written. During another vacation, this time a short one, he literally came to Paris for a few days, and there he suffered a stroke. It happened in the fall of 1841, and on March 22, 1842, he died. The last years of his life were overshadowed by a difficult physical condition, weakness, the inability to work fully: this is how syphilis manifested itself, which Stendhal contracted in his youth. Unable to write himself and dictating texts, Henri Marie Bayle continued to compose until his death.
Frederic Stendhal (Henri Marie Beyle) was born in Grenoble in 1783, just a few years before the French Revolution. The Beil family was wealthy. The father of the future writer was a lawyer. His mother passed away when he was only 7 years old. The boy was raised by his grandfather Henri Gagnon. An educated man, Monsieur Gagnon strove to educate his grandson as well. It was his grandfather who taught little Henri Marie to read. The love of books gave rise to the love of writing, which the boy began to do in secret from everyone at a very early age.
All members of the Bayle family were ardent monarchists. The execution of the French king was a real nightmare for Henri's family. Only the future writer rejoiced at this death and even cried with delight.
In 1796, Henri Marie was sent to school. Oddly enough, the boy's favorite subject was mathematics, not literature or his native language. Later, the writer, recalling his childhood, admitted that most of all he hated hypocrisy in people. He fell in love with mathematics because it is an exact science, which means that it does not imply hypocrisy.
In the late 1790s, Stendhal moved to Paris. In the capital, he planned to enter the Polytechnic School. However, instead of school, the future writer entered the military service, which was facilitated by his influential relative. Until 1812, Napoleon was Stendhal's idol. Together with Bonaparte's troops, the future writer visited Italy. He also managed to visit Russia, where Stendhal almost died. Despite the fact that the Russians were enemies, the writer did not hate them, admiring their patriotism and heroism.
Returning home, Stendhal saw his homeland devastated. He blamed Napoleon for the ruin of France. Stendhal no longer considered Bonaparte his idol and was sincerely ashamed of his nationality. When Napoleon was sent into exile, the writer also decided to leave the country and moved to Italy, considering it more freedom-loving. In those years, the Carbonari movement, who fought for the liberation of their homeland from Austrian rule, became widespread in Italy. Stendhal took an active part in the liberation movement, for which he was twice sentenced to death. The writer happened to live in England. His life abroad depended on odd jobs. Since the 1820s, Henri Marie Beyle first began signing with his pseudonym.
Stendhal decided to return to his homeland in 1830 to enter the civil service. In the same year 1830 he was appointed consul and sent to Trieste. However, the Austrian authorities were worried about the "dark" past of the new consul, in connection with which the writer was transferred to Civitavecchia. The salary was more than modest, but Stendhal did not want to leave the country he loved again and remained in the post of consul until the end of his days.
Poor health often forced the writer to return home, taking a long vacation. One of the vacations lasted 3 years (1836-1839). The last years of Stendhal's life were especially difficult: syphilis, which the writer contracted in his youth, manifested itself in the form of inability to work fully and weakness. In 1841, the writer once again came to Paris, where he suffered a stroke. Unable to record on his own, Stendhal dictated his works, continuing to compose until his death in March 1842.
People who knew Stendhal closely speak of him as a secretive person who loves solitude and loneliness. The writer had a vulnerable and subtle soul. One of the hallmarks of his character was his hatred of tyranny. At the same time, the writer doubted any liberation movement. He sincerely sympathized with and even helped the Carbonari, but did not believe that their efforts would yield positive results. There was no unity between the coal miners: some dreamed of a republic, others wanted to see a monarchy in their country.
Italy became a second home for the great French writer. He fell in love with Italians, considering them, unlike his compatriots, more sincere. The introvert Bayle was much closer to Italian wildness and decisiveness than the restraint and hypocrisy characteristic of 19th-century France. The writer found Italian women more attractive and had more than one love affair with them. Even on his gravestone, Stendhal wanted to see the inscription: "Enrico Beil, Milanese."
Aesthetic requirements
Stendhal began his literary career at a very early age. Over the years of hard work on his style, the writer was able to develop his own concepts, which he strove to follow while working on the next novel.
Passionate character
Prominent character in the center
In the center of each piece there should be a bright, “passionate” image. This character prefers to be in opposition, disagreeing with injustice and violence. The main character must certainly love, otherwise his whole struggle becomes simply meaningless.
The author himself does not consider his characters to be romantics, despite the presence of clear signs of a romantic hero. According to Stendhal, the literary images he created are researchers and activists. The romantic is not capable of anything but "noble anger."
Precision and simplicity
The works of the great French writer are distinguished by their simplicity and laconicism. Stendhal's love of mathematics during his school years was reflected in all of his novels. The writer believed that the reader should see in the book not pathos and incomprehensible descriptions of the character's inner world, but an accurate analysis, thanks to which any person can understand what is happening with the main character.
Historicism concept
For Stendhal, it is unacceptable to portray a person outside the circumstances, as among romantic writers, or a person in general, as among classic writers. The reader should know in what era the protagonist lives, and what place he occupies among his contemporaries. Characters cannot be taken out of their historical context. All of them are people of their time. The era to which they belong has shaped their character. Only having an idea of the historical context, the reader can understand what exactly drives the protagonist, becomes the motive of his actions.
In the next article, you can read a summary telling the love story of Julien Sorel, which later ruined him.
Another outstanding novel, which, moreover, is his last completed novel, the events of which take place after the end of the era of Napoleon's reign.
Red, black, white
The name of Stendhal is traditionally associated with the novel Red and Black. The novel was created in 1830 based on real events. For a long time literary critics could not understand why the author gave the novel exactly this name. Both colors are reminiscent of tragedy, bloodshed and death. And the combination of red and black is associated with the upholstery of the coffin. The title itself sets the reader up for a tragic ending.
5 years after writing his first genius novel, Stendhal creates a work with a similar title - "Red and White". The similarity of the names is not accidental. In addition, the title and content of the new novel explains to some extent the title of the previous one. The color black, most likely, did not mean death, but the low origin of the protagonist Julien Sorel. White indicates the elite, from which Lucien Leuven, the protagonist of the second novel, was born. Red is a symbol of a difficult, anxious time in which the two main characters have to live.
Stendhal Frederick - Frederic Stendhal (1783-1842). Biography in dates and facts
Frederic Stendhal (1783-1842). Biography in dates and facts
Frederic Stendhal
Realistic psychologism
1796-1799
1799 g.
1800-1814 g.
1814 g.
1821 g.
1822 g.
1827 g.
1829 g.
1830 g.
1830-1840
Frederic Stendhal (1783-1842). biography in dates and facts
Frederic Stendhal(real name Henri Marie Bayle) - a classic of French literature, who laid the foundation for
Realistic psychologism and who expressed in his work the heroic spirit released by the era of the Great French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. Stendhal formulated his creative credo as follows: “Apply the techniques of mathematics to the human heart and lay the foundation for the creative method and language of feelings. This is all art. "
Stendhal's life in dates and facts
1796-1799- studied at the Central Grenoble school, which was one of the most progressive elite educational institutions.
1799 g.- went to Paris with the intention of continuing his education in the capital, but a political upheaval that took place, as a result of which the young general Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in the country, forced the young man to forget about his studies and join the Napoleonic army.
1800-1814 g.- years of military service. As an officer, Stendal traveled to Italy (where he became seriously interested in studying Italian painting), participated in hostilities in Austria and Germany (where he visited the town of Stendal, who gave him a literary pseudonym), shared with his comrades the hardships of a campaign in Russia, during which he became witnessed the famous fire in Moscow in 1812. His military career ended after the fall of his idol - Napoleon, to whose image he repeatedly turned in his work, in particular, in the books "The Life of Napoleon" (1817) and "Memories of Napoleon" (1837), remaining unfinished.
1814 g.- the restoration of the Bourbon regime forced Stendhal to leave for Italy, in Milan, where he became close to the political movement of the Carbonari (from Italian carbonari - coal miners) - fighters for the liberation of Italy from the power of foreign states. There Stendhal met Byron and Italian poets.
1821 g.- after the defeat of the Neapolitan revolution, the writer returned to Paris, where he collaborated with various publications as a journalist.
1822 g.- finished work on "A Treatise on Love", in which he developed the original theory of love feelings.
1827 g.- published his first work of fiction - the novel “Armance. Scenes from the life of the Parisian salon in 1827 ".
1829 g.- saw the light of his travel notes "Walks in Rome" and the short story "Vanina Vanini".
1830 g.- created the novel "Red and Black", which confirmed the realistic trend in French literature. In the same year, Stendhal entered the diplomatic service and, having been appointed to the post of French consul to Italy, settled in the small seaside town of Civitavecchia.
1830-1840- period of creative take-off. During this time, Stendhal wrote Memoirs of an Egoist (1832), the novel Lucien Leuven (1835), autobiographical notes The Life of Henri Brühlard (1836), the cycle of stories Italian Chronicles (1839) and the novel Parma monastery "(1838), written in just fifty-two days. At the end of this period, the writer took up a new novel - "Lamiel".
