Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (; ; 29 October 1882 – 31 January 1944) was a French

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...

essayist An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

and

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. His work is noted for its stylistic elegance and poetic fantasy. Giraudoux's dominant theme is the relationship between man and woman—or in some cases, between man and some unattainable ideal.

Biography

Giraudoux was born in

Bellac Bellac (; ) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. Bellac is where the French author Jean Giraudoux, writer of '' L'Apollon de Bellac'', was born in 1882. His house has been turned into ...

Haute-Vienne Haute-Vienne (; , ; Upper Vienne) is a département in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwest-central France. Named after the Vienne River, it is one of the twelve départements that together constitute Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The prefecture an ...

, where his father, Léger Giraudoux, worked for the

Ministry of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...

. Giraudoux studied at the

Lycée Lakanal Lycée Lakanal is a public secondary school in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, France, in the Paris metropolitan area. It was named after Joseph Lakanal, a French politician, and an original member of the Institut de France. The school also offers a mi ...

in Sceaux and upon graduation traveled extensively in Europe. After his return to France in 1910, he accepted a position with the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

. With the outbreak of World War I, he served with distinction and in 1915 became the first writer ever to be awarded the wartime

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

. He married in 1918 and in the subsequent inter-war period produced the majority of his writing. He first achieved literary success through his novels, notably ''

Siegfried et le Limousin ''Siegfried et le Limousin'' is a novel by Jean Giraudoux published in 1922 by Grasset. This novel is famous for having brought success to its author. In the story, Giraudoux explores the hostility between two warring countries, France and German ...

'' (1922) and ''Eglantine'' (1927). An ongoing collaboration with actor and theater director

Louis Jouvet Jules Eugène Louis Jouvet (; 24 December 1887 – 16 August 1951) was a French actor, theatre director and filmmaker. Early life Jouvet was born in Crozon. He had a Stuttering, stutter as a young man and originally trained as a pharmac ...

, beginning in 1928 with Jouvet's radical streamlining of ''Siegfried'' for the stage, stimulated his writing. But it is his plays that gained him international renown. He became well known in the English speaking world largely because of the award-winning adaptations of his plays by

Christopher Fry Christopher Fry (18 December 1907 – 30 June 2005) was an English poet and playwright. He is best known for his verse dramas, especially '' The Lady's Not for Burning'', which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s. Biograp ...

(''

Tiger at the Gates ''The Trojan War Will Not Take Place'' (, ) is a play written in 1935 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. In 1955 it was translated into English by Christopher Fry with the title ''Tiger at the Gates''. The play has two acts and follows the conve ...

'') and

Maurice Valency Maurice Valency (22 March 1903 – 28 September 1996) was a playwright, author, critic, and popular professor of Comparative Literature at Columbia University, best known for his award-winning adaptations of plays by Jean Giraudoux and Friedri ...

(the satirical ''

The Madwoman of Chaillot ''The Madwoman of Chaillot'' (, ) is a play, a poetic satire, by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, written in 1943 and first performed in 1945, after his death. The play is in two acts. The story concerns an eccentric woman who lives in Paris and ...

'', ''

Ondine Ondine is a variation of undine, the category of elemental beings associated with water Ondine may also refer to: Literature * ''Ondine'' (novel), a novel by Shannon Drake (1988) * ''Ondine'' (play), a play by Jean Giraudoux (1938) * ''Ondine ...

'', '' The Enchanted'', ''

The Apollo of Bellac ''The Apollo of Bellac'' ( or ) is a comedic one-act play written in 1942 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. Plot summary The play is set in the reception room of the International Bureau of Inventions, during autumn in Paris. It focuses on a t ...

''). Giraudoux served as a juror with

Florence Meyer Blumenthal Florence Meyer Blumenthal (1875 – 1930) was an American philanthropist who founded the ''Fondation franco-américaine Florence Blumenthal (Franco-American Florence Blumenthal Foundation),'' which awarded the Prix Blumenthal from 1919-1954 to pa ...

in awarding the

Prix Blumenthal The Prix Blumenthal (or ''Blumenthal Prize'') was a grant or stipend awarded through the philanthropy of Florence Meyer Blumenthal (1875–1930) – and the foundation she created, ''Fondation franco-américaine Florence Blumenthal (Franco-Am ...

, a grant given between 1919 and 1954 to painters, sculptors, decorators, engravers, writers, and musicians. In politics he was affiliated with the Radical Party, served in the cabinet of

Édouard Herriot Édouard Marie Herriot (; 5 July 1872 – 26 March 1957) was a French Radical politician of the Third Republic who served three times as Prime Minister (1924–1925; 1926; 1932) and twice as President of the Chamber of Deputies. He led the f ...

in 1932, and was appointed as Minister of Information by

Édouard Daladier Édouard Daladier (; 18 June 1884 – 10 October 1970) was a French Radical Party (France), Radical-Socialist (centre-left) politician, who was the Prime Minister of France in 1933, 1934 and again from 1938 to 1940. he signed the Munich Agreeme ...

in 1939. He is buried in the Cimetière de Passy in Paris.New York Times; February 1, 1944
Jean Giraudoux obituary.

Works

Theatrical productions

* ''

Siegfried Siegfried is a German-language male given name, composed from the Germanic elements ''sig'' "victory" and ''frithu'' "protection, peace". The German name has the Old Norse cognate ''Sigfriðr, Sigfrøðr'', which gives rise to Swedish ''Sigfrid' ...

'' (1928, premiere at the Comédie des Champs-Élysées) * ''

Amphitryon 38 ''Amphitryon 38'' is a play written in 1929 by the French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, the number in the title being Giraudoux's whimsical approximation of how many times the story had been told on stage previously. Original productions ''Amphitryo ...

'' (1929 premiere, Comédie des Champs-Élysées) * ''

Judith The Book of Judith is a deuterocanonical book included in the Septuagint and the Catholic Church, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Christian Old Testament of the Bible but Development of the Hebrew Bible canon, excluded from the ...

'' (1931,

Théâtre Pigalle The Théâtre Pigalle () was a theatre in Paris, located in the rue Pigalle in the ninth ''arrondissement''. History Opened on June 20, 1929, financed by Philippe de Rothschild on the estate of his father Henri de Rothschild, the Rothschilds' ...

) * '' The Enchanted'' (1933, Comédie des Champs-Élysées) * '' Tessa'' (1934,

Théâtre de l'Athénée The Théâtre de l'Athénée () is a theatre at 7 rue Boudreau, in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Renovated in 1996 and classified a historical monument, the Athénée inherits an artistic tradition marked by the figure of Louis Jouvet who di ...

) * ''

Supplément au voyage de Cook '' The Virtuous Island '' is a 1956 English adaptation by Maurice Valency of the play ''Supplément au voyage de Cook'' written in 1935 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. Original productions ''Supplément au voyage de Cook'' was translated in ...

'' (1935, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * ''

The Trojan War Will Not Take Place ''The Trojan War Will Not Take Place'' (, ) is a play written in 1935 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. In 1955 it was translated into English by Christopher Fry with the title ''Tiger at the Gates''. The play has two acts and follows the conve ...

'' (1935, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * ''

Electra Electra, also spelt Elektra (; ; ), is one of the most popular Greek mythology, mythological characters in tragedies.Evans (1970), p. 79 She is the main character in two Greek tragedies, ''Electra (Sophocles play), Electra'' by Sophocles and ''Ele ...

'' (1937, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * '' L'Impromptu de Paris'' (1937, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * ''

Song of Songs The Song of Songs (), also called the Canticle of Canticles or the Song of Solomon, is a Biblical poetry, biblical poem, one of the five ("scrolls") in the ('writings'), the last section of the Tanakh. Unlike other books in the Hebrew Bible, i ...

'' (1938,

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...

) * ''

'' (1939, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * ''

'' (1942,

Teatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro) The Theatro Municipal ("Municipal Theater") is an opera house in the Centro district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Built in the early twentieth century, it is considered to be one of the most beautiful and important theaters in the country. The bu ...

) * ''

Sodom and Gomorrah In the Abrahamic religions, Sodom and Gomorrah () were two cities destroyed by God for their wickedness. Sodom and Gomorrah are repeatedly invoked throughout the Hebrew Bible, Deuterocanonical texts, and the New Testament as symbols of sin, di ...

'' (1943,

Théâtre Hébertot Théâtre Hébertot () is a theatre at 78, boulevard des Batignolles, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, France. History The theatre was completed in 1838 and opened as the Théâtre des Batignolles. It was later renamed Théâtre des Arts ...

) * ''

'' (1945, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * '' Duel of Angels (Pour Lucrèce)'' (1953,

Théâtre Marigny The Théâtre Marigny () is a theatre in Paris, situated near the junction of the Champs-Élysées and the Avenue Marigny in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, 8th arrondissement. It was originally built to designs of the architect Charles Garnie ...

) * '' Les Gracques'' (unfinished; published 1958)

Films

* ''The Duchess of Langeais'' (1942), adaptation and dialogue * ''

Angels of the Streets ''Angels of Sin'' (French: ''Les Anges du péché'') is a 1943 French film directed by Robert Bresson, in his feature directorial debut. Made in 1943, nine years after his comedy short '' Public Affairs'', it was Bresson's only film released duri ...

'' (1943), screenplay

Publications

* ''Provinciales'' (1909) * ''L'École des indifférents'' (1911) * ''Lectures pour une ombre'' (1917) * ''Simon le Pathétique'' (1918) * ''L'Adieu à la guerre'' (1919) Grasset * ''Elpénor'' (1919) * ''Amica America'' (1919) * ''Adorable Clio'' (1920) * ''Suzanne et le Pacifique'' (1921) * ''

'' (1922) * ''Juliette au pays des hommes'' (1924) * ''Bella'' (1926) * ''Églantine'' (1927) * ''Aventures de Jérôme Bardini'' (1930) * ''La France sentimentale'' (1932) * '' Combat avec l'ange '' (1934) * ''Choix des élues'' (1939) * '' Pleins pouvoirs'' (1939) * ''Armistice à Bordeaux'' (1945) * ''Sans pouvoirs'' (1946) * ''La Menteuse'' (1958)

English-language collections

* Giraudoux, Jean (1958),'' Four Plays'', Adapted by Maurice Valency. New York: Hill and Wang, Inc
OCLC 807008
olume 1: ''Ondine, Enchanted, Madwoman of Challot, Apollo of Bellac''* Giraudoux, Jean (1964),'' Three Plays, vol. 2'', Translated by Phyllis La Farge and Peter H. Judd. New York: Hill and Wang
OCLC 751419
olume 2: ''Siegfried, Amphitryon 38, Electra'' * Giraudoux, Jean (1963),'' Three Plays'', Translated by Christopher Fry. New York: Oxford University Press
OCLC 21419365
olume I: ''Tiger at the Gates; Duel of Angels; Judith''* Giraudoux, Jean (1967), ''Plays, vol. 2'', Translated by Roger Gellert. London: Oxford University Press
OCLC 656767230
'Amphitryon; Intermezzo; Ondine''

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Giraudoux, Jean 1882 births 1944 deaths 20th-century French essayists 20th-century French diplomats 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights 20th-century French novelists Burials at Passy Cemetery Commanders of the Legion of Honour École Normale Supérieure alumni French fantasy writers Lycée Lakanal alumni People from Haute-Vienne Prix Blumenthal French male novelists 20th-century French male writers French satirists French satirical dramatists and playwrights

Biography

Works

Theatrical productions

Films

Publications

English-language collections

References

Further reading

External links