The existential crisis experienced by Paul Valéry during a violent storm on 4 October 1892 fundamentally altered his trajectory as a writer. After a period of initial publication, the French poet abandoned his craft entirely for nearly two decades. He broke this lengthy silence in 1917, ultimately establishing himself as a central figure in European intellectual life.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1871 in Sète, Valéry was raised in the nearby urban center of Montpellier. He received a traditional Roman Catholic education before attending the Lycée Condorcet. He eventually moved to Paris, where he integrated into the circle of Stéphane Mallarmé. His early professional life included a position at the Ministry of War and a long-term role as private secretary to Edouard Lebey, the former chief executive of the Havas news agency.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →The Return to Poetry
Valéry’s literary career saw a significant interruption that lasted until 1917, when he published La Jeune Parque. This poem, consisting of 512 alexandrine lines, gained immediate acclaim and shifted his status from an obscure writer to a prominent poet. He later solidified this reputation with the release of Album des vers anciens and Charmes, a collection that included the meditative poem Le Cimetière marin.
Public Life and Institutions
Following his election to the Académie française in 1925, Valéry became an active public speaker and representative for French cultural interests. He served on several committees at the League of Nations and founded the Collège International de Cannes in 1931. His academic contributions included serving as the inaugural holder of the Chair of Poetics at the Collège de France from 1937 until 1945.
War and Legacy
During World War II, Valéry refused to collaborate with the German occupation or the Vichy regime, which resulted in the loss of several official distinctions. Despite this, he remained involved in intellectual resistance, notably joining the National Committee of Writers in 1942. He died in Paris in 1945 and is interred at the Cimetière Marin in his hometown of Sète.
Fast facts
- Born: 1871, Sète, France
- Died: 1945, Paris, France
- Occupations: Poet, philosopher, journalist, essayist
- Notable work: The Crisis of the Mind
- Académie française seat: 38 (1925-1945)
- Collège de France tenure: 1937-1945
- Awards: Louis Barthou Prize (1942), Goethe Medal (1932)
- Burial site: Cimetière Marin, Sète
Questions readers ask
How many times was Valéry nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature?
He was nominated for the prize in 12 different years.
Which institution did Valéry found in 1931?
He founded the Collège International de Cannes, a private institution for language and civilization studies.
Achievements
- Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour
- Notable work: The Crisis of the Mind
- Affiliated with Collège de France and Le Figaro
- Educated at Lycée Condorcet
- Worked as philosopher, poet and journalist
