Charles De Coster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles De Coster
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| Born |
Charles-Theodore-Henri De Coster
20 August 1827 |
| Died | 7 May 1879 (aged 51) |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Occupation | novelist |
Charles-Theodore-Henri De Coster (born August 20, 1827 – died May 7, 1879) was a Belgian writer. He wrote novels and helped create a unique Belgian literature.
Early Life and Education
Charles De Coster was born in Munich, Germany. His father was from Liège, Belgium. The family soon moved back to Belgium. Charles first worked at a bank in Brussels. But in 1850, he started studying at the Université libre de Bruxelles. He finished his studies in 1855.
He was part of a small writing group called the Société des Joyeux. Many members of this group later became famous writers. Charles De Coster began writing poems in a magazine called Revue trimestrielle in 1854. He also wrote his first stories in a magazine called Uylenspiegel starting in 1856.
De Coster loved to study old French writers like François Rabelais. He learned a lot about the French language from the 1500s. He believed that the way people in Flanders (a region in Belgium) spoke could not be truly shown in modern French. So, he wrote his best books using older forms of the language. His book Légendes flamandes (1856) became popular. It had cool pictures by his friends, including Félicien Rops. In 1861, he published Contes brabançons, which was written in modern French.
His Famous Works
Charles De Coster's most famous book is The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel and Lamme Goedzak. He published it in 1867. This story is set in the 1500s. He spent about ten years working on it.
The main character, Uylenspiegel (Eulenspiegel), is a brave and clever person. He is like a symbol of the Flemish people from the 1500s. The book tells about his adventures and those of his friend, Lamme Goedzak. It is a funny story, but it also shows the harsh times of that period. The book was illustrated by Félicien Rops and other artists.
At first, not many people in Belgium read the book. But it became very popular in other parts of the world. Later, in 1893, a new and cheaper version of the book came out in modern French. This made it popular in France and Belgium too.
Later Career and Legacy
In 1870, Charles De Coster became a professor. He taught history and French literature at the Belgian Royal Military Academy. Even with this job, he often struggled with money.
He passed away in May 1879 in Ixelles, Brussels. He was buried in the Ixelles Cemetery.
Years later, in 1946, an artist named Nicolas Eekman created new pictures for The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel and Lamme Goedzak.
See also
In Spanish: Charles de Coster para niños
