Tristan Corbière facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tristan Corbière
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| Born | 18 July 1845 Morlaix, France |
| Died | 1 March 1875 (aged 29) Morlaix, France |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Literary movement | Symbolism |
Tristan Corbière (born Édouard-Joachim Corbière) was a French poet. He was born on July 18, 1845, in Morlaix, Brittany, France. He lived most of his life there. Sadly, he passed away at age 29 on March 1, 1875, from a sickness called tuberculosis.
Early Life and Schooling
Tristan's mother, Marie-Angélique-Aspasie Puyo, was 19 when he was born. Her family was well-known in the area. His father, Antoine-Édouard Corbière, was a famous writer. He wrote a popular book called Le Négrier. Tristan also had a cousin, Constant Puyo, who became a famous photographer.
Tristan went to school at the Imperial Lycée of Saint-Brieuc from 1858 to 1860. While there, he became very sad and unwell. He caught a serious illness called rheumatism during the cold winters. This illness changed his appearance quite a bit.
He felt his parents should not have sent him away from home. The school had very strict rules and teachers. This tough environment made him develop a rebellious and sarcastic attitude. These feelings later showed up in his unique poems.
His Poetry
Tristan Corbière only published one book of poems during his life. It was called Les amours jaunes (The Yellow Loves) and came out in 1873. Almost no one noticed it at the time.
Later, another famous poet named Paul Verlaine included him in a group he called poètes maudits (accursed poets). After Verlaine's praise, Tristan Corbière became known. He was seen as an important poet by the Symbolists. Later, the Surrealists also looked up to his work.
Tristan's poems are often about the ocean and his home in Brittany. He didn't like the overly emotional style of Romantic poetry. His writing is special because of its clever wordplay and modern feel. Famous poets like Ezra Pound and T. S. Eliot admired his work. Tristan Corbière had a big influence on Eliot's writing.
Eliot even used a phrase Tristan used to describe himself, "Mélange adultère de tout," as the title for one of his own poems. Many modern poets have studied Corbière's work. His poems have also been translated into English by the poet Christopher Pilling.
