Anatole France is a famous French writer and literary critic. In 1921 he received the Nobel Prize in literature. Swedish academics noted his exquisite style, humanism and classic Gallic temperament. It is interesting that he donated all the money in favor of the starving Russia, where at that time there was a civil war. Among his most famous works are the novels Thais, Penguin Island, Gods crave, Rise of the Angels.
Writer Biography
Anatole France was born in Paris in 1844. His real name is different. Francois Anatoli Thibault the world became known under his literary pseudonym.
His father had his own bookstore, which specialized in literature on the history of the French Revolution. The hero of our article did not study well in his youth, he hardly graduated from the Jesuit College, failing several times at the final exams. He was finally able to surrender them only by the age of 20.
At the age of 22, Anatole France began to earn his living by finding a job as a bibliographer. So he began to get acquainted with the literary world for the first time, he soon found himself among the participants of the Parnassus school. This is a creative group, united around Theophile Gauthier. In their work, they sought to oppose the poetics of romanticism, which, in their opinion, had become outdated by that time.
When the Franco-Prussian War broke out in 1870, Anatole France went to serve in the army. After demobilization, he returned to editorial activity.
Work as a journalist
In 1875, France began working as a journalist in the Paris newspaper Le Temps. From the publication, he receives an order for a series of critical articles on contemporary writers. A year later, he becomes a leading critic of this publication, opens his own column under the title "Literary Life".
In 1876, the hero of our article gets the position of deputy director in the library under the French Senate. In this position, he remains for the next 14 years. This work allowed to devote enough time to literature.
In 1924, France died at the age of 80. Shortly before that, he went to bed with the last stage of sclerosis.
An interesting fact: his brain was examined by anatomists, who found that the mass of the organ exceeds one kilogram, which is incredibly large for an ordinary person. The writer was buried in a cemetery in the small town of Neuilly-sur-Seine. In this place he spent the last years of his life.
Public position
In 1898, France became one of the most active participants in the Dreyfus affair. It is known that he was among the first to subscribe to Emil Zol’s famous letter “I Accuse”.
After that, the writer becomes a supporter of the reformist, and then the socialist camp. In France, he participates in the creation of popular universities, participates in rallies organized by left-wing political forces, and gives lectures to workers.
Over time, he becomes a close friend of the leader of the French socialists, Jean Jaurès. In 1913 he visited Russia.
Personal life
France had a wife, Valerie, but his personal life was not at all cloudless. After the success of his works “The Paris Chronicle” and “The Crime of Sylvester Bonnard,” the hero of our article appears to be a part of high French society.
In 1883, he met the owner of one of the most influential literary salons, Leontina Arman de Caillave. She was an imperious and educated aristocrat who highly appreciated the work of France.
For many years after that, he had to live between two women, and his wife constantly to sort things out and settle scores with her rival. The main drawback of Valerie was that she did not understand the spiritual component of her husband's life, because of this, the situation at home was constantly heating up. Over time, the couple completely stopped communicating, exchanging only notes.
In the end, he left home, and did it in a pointed manner, going out into the street in a dressing gown and with a tray in his hands, on which was an inkwell and an article that had begun. He rented a furnished room in a fictitious name, finally breaking family relations. Until the end of his life, he talked only with his beloved daughter.
Early work
The first book of Anatole France, which brought him popularity, was the novel "Crime of Sylvester Bonnard", published in 1881. It was a satirical work in which kindness and frivolity defeated stern virtue.
The tale of Anatole France “The Little Bee”, which he himself urged not to read to any of the serious people, dates back to the same period. This is his only work for children, in which he tells the touching story of the young Count Georges and his named sister Bees, who run away from home to end up in the realm of Ondines and Dwarves.
In his subsequent works, the writer recreates the spirit of various historical eras, using his erudition and subtle psychological sense. For example, in the story “Queen's Tavern“ Goose Feet, ”he makes the main character of the abbot Jerome Quagnard, who constantly sins, finding excuses that violating the commandments strengthens the spirit of humility in him.
In many stories of the author, a vivid fantasy is manifested. For example, in a collection entitled "Mother of Pearl Casket" the theme of the Christian and pagan worldview comes to the fore. It is worth noting that in this he had a definite influence on the famous Russian writer and prose writer Dmitry Merezhkovsky.
The novel "Thais" by Anatole France, published in 1890, tells the story of a famous ancient courtesan who turned into a saint. The book is written in the spirit of Christian mercy and at the same time epicureism.
Anatol France's 1894 novel, entitled "The Red Lily," is dedicated to the picturesque descriptions of Florence, against which a classic French adultery drama unfolds in the spirit of the then popular novelist Paul Bourget.
Social Novels
A new stage in the work of France is dedicated to social novels. He issues a whole series of works that are acutely political in content, which have a common subtitle, "Contemporary History." Their appearance coincides in time with his fascination with socialist ideas.
In fact, this is a diverse historical chronicle in which events taking place in the world are analyzed from a philosophical point of view. France, in this case, acts as a historian of our time, who, with the impartiality of a researcher and the irony of a skeptic, evaluates the events around him.
Often in his novels of this period you can find a fictional plot, which connects with social events that really happened. He pays attention to the intrigues of provincial bureaucrats, the Dreyfus process, street demonstrations, which at that time spontaneously arise in different parts of Europe.
Here France describes theories of cabinet scientists, scientific research, troubles that occur in his home life, for example, betrayal of his wife. We are confronted with the true psychology of a short-sighted in life and a puzzled thinker.
As a rule, in the center of the narrative in the novels from this series is the historian Bergeret, who embodies the peculiar philosophical ideal of the writer. This is a skeptical and slightly condescending attitude towards the surrounding reality, ironic equanimity to the acts committed by others.
This period includes novels written from 1897 to 1901: "Under the City Elms", "Willow Mannequin", "Amethyst Ring", "Monsieur Bergeret in Paris".
Satire france
The next stage in the work of France becomes a satire. In 1908, he completed the historical work Life of Joan of Arc, which is published in two volumes. He writes it under the influence of historian Ernest Renan, the book was frankly poorly received by the public, and was subjected to serious criticism. To historians, it seemed unreliable, and the clerics were unhappy with the demystification of Jeanne.
But the novel " Penguin Island " by Anatole France became popular. He also came out in 1908. It tells about the visually impaired Abbot Mael, who takes penguins for the people he met and decides to christen them. In this regard, serious complications arise on earth and heaven. In his satirical manner, France describes the emergence among the penguins of the rudiments of the state and private property, the appearance of the first royal dynasty in their history. Before the eyes of readers are the Renaissance and the Middle Ages. There are allusions to contemporary events in the novel. Mention is made of the Dreyfus case, an attempt to organize a coup by General Boulanger, the manners of the French Minister Waldeck-Rousseau.
In the finale, the author gives a gloomy forecast for the future, arguing that nuclear terrorism and the power of financial monopolies will finally destroy civilization. Only after this society will be able to revive again.
"The gods crave"
Anatole France writes his next major and significant work in 1912. He devotes it to the events of the Great French Revolution.
The book of Anatole France, "The Gods Thirst", tells about the events of French history at the end of the 18th century. This is the period of the dictatorship of the petty-bourgeois party of the Jacobins, led by Robespierre.
"Rise of the Angels"
The 1914 novel Rise of the Angels is a social satire. France writes it with elements of game mysticism. In the hero’s book of our article, not God reigns in heaven, but the imperfect and evil Demiurge. Therefore, Satan has to raise a rebellion against him, which becomes a kind of reflection of the socialist revolutions taking place on Earth at this time.
At the end of her life, France turns to autobiographical works. He writes several books about his childhood and youth. These are the novels "Life in Bloom" and "Little Pierre".