Vincent Placoly

Celia Britton (University College London)

Ed. by Maeve McCusker, Queen's University Belfast
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 4.1.2: Francophone Writing and Culture of Central America and the Caribbean.
Vol. editors: Hugo Azerad (University of Cambridge), Maeve McCusker (Queen's University Belfast), David Murphy (University of Strathclyde)

Dates

Born 21 Jan 1946
Died 6 Jan 1992
Activity 1971-1990

Places

Born in Martinique
Active in Martinique

Activities

Primary

Novelist

Other

Revolutionary, Activist

Resources

Placoly's Works

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Of the many significant writers that Martinique has produced, Vincent Placoly is perhaps the most undeservedly neglected outside the island itself. In the course of his short life he wrote seventeen plays, performed in Martinique, but most of which were not published; his three novels and a collection of short stories and essays are now out of print; and a fourth novel entitled

Le Cimetière des vaincus

has never been published. Yet his is a powerfully original voice in French Caribbean literature: a politically committed writer whose work is very different from the orthodox realism of more traditional Marxist novels.

At school in Fort-de-France (Martinique’s capital), Placoly was taught by the Marxist philosopher René Ménil, who remained his friend and mentor throughout his life. In

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1087 words

Citation: Britton, Celia. "Vincent Placoly". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 June 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=13251, accessed 22 November 2024.]