The publication of Memoirs of Hadrian in 1951 established a new benchmark for historical fiction, meticulously reconstructing the inner life of a Roman emperor. Marguerite Yourcenar, a prolific writer who navigated both French and English literary worlds, maintained a career that spanned poetry, drama, and extensive critical essays while holding citizenship in Belgium, France, and the United States.
Early Life and Literary Beginnings
Born in Brussels in 1903 as Marguerite Antoinette Jeanne Marie Ghislaine Cleenewerck de Crayencour, she was raised by her paternal grandmother following the death of her mother shortly after her birth. She adopted the pen name Yourcenar early in her career, a name she later legalized in 1947. Her debut novel, Alexis, appeared in 1929, marking the start of a lifelong dedication to prose, poetry, and translation.
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In 1939, Yourcenar moved to the United States to escape the conflict in Europe at the invitation of her partner, Grace Frick. During her tenure in the country, she served as a university teacher at Sarah Lawrence College, lecturing on comparative literature. She and Frick eventually established a home in Northeast Harbor, Maine, where they resided for decades until Frick's death in 1979.
Academic Recognition and Institutional Legacy
Yourcenar achieved significant institutional recognition late in her life. In 1980, she became the first woman elected to the Académie française, holding seat 3 until her death in 1987. Her contributions were further acknowledged through the Erasmus Prize in 1983 and her status as a Commander of the Legion of Honour, awarded in 1986. She is buried at Brookside Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1903, Brussels
- Died: 1987, Bar Harbor
- Citizenships: United States, Belgium, France
- Notable work: Memoirs of Hadrian
- Election to Académie française: 1980
- Employer: Sarah Lawrence College
- Final resting place: Brookside Cemetery
- Erasmus Prize winner: 1983
Questions readers ask
Was Marguerite Yourcenar the first woman in the Académie française?
Yes, she was elected to the institution in 1980 and served until 1987.
Where did Marguerite Yourcenar live in the United States?
She resided in Hartford, Connecticut, and later on Mount Desert Island in Maine.
Achievements
- Commander of the Legion of Honour — 1986
- Erasmus Prize — 1983
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Notable work: Memoirs of Hadrian
- Notable work: L'Oeuvre au noir
- Notable work: Alexis
- Notable work: Oriental Tales
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