Paul Verlaine

Alan English (St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra)

Ed. by David Williams, University of Sheffield
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.5.2.05: French Writing and Culture: The Nineteenth-Century , 1800-1900.
Vol. editors: David Elwyn Evans (University of St Andrews), Edward Forman (University of Bristol), Elisabeth Gerwin (University of Lethbridge), Nigel Harkness (University of Newcastle upon Tyne), Tim Unwin (University of Bristol), David Williams (University of Sheffield), Jennifer Yee (University of Oxford)

Dates

Born 30 Mar 1844
Died 8 Jan 1896
Activity 1864-1896

Places

Born in France
Active in France

Activities

Primary

Poet

Resources

Verlaine's Works

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Paul-Marie Verlaine was born in Metz, France on March 30, 1844, some thirteen years after the marriage of his parents Élisa and Nicolas-Auguste, an army officer. His early years (1844-1850) were marked by frequent upheaval as the family moved around France to the towns and cities where Nicolas was successively garrisoned. Partly owing to his father’s relative affluence and partly to his mother’s excessive attention and pampering of her only child, Verlaine enjoyed a rather privileged and carefree childhood. By the time he left school with his baccalauréat in 1862, Verlaine had already penned three poems: the distinctly Baudelairian

Aspiration [Aspiration]

and

Fadaises [Twaddle]

, as well as what is believed to be his first poem

La Mort [Death]

which was sent to Victor Hugo, along…

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2859 words

Citation: English, Alan. "Paul Verlaine". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 July 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4536, accessed 21 November 2024.]