Vivian Mercier facts for kids
Vivian Mercier (born 1919 – died 1989) was an Irish writer and expert on books. He was born in a town called Clara in County Offaly, Ireland.
Vivian Mercier went to school at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen. Later, he studied at Trinity College Dublin, which is a famous university. He was a very good student there and even helped run the student magazine called T.C.D. Miscellany.
Teaching and Writing
After finishing his studies, Vivian Mercier moved to America. He taught English at different universities from the 1940s to the 1980s. His last job was as a Professor of English at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
His Work on Samuel Beckett
Vivian Mercier is famous for what he wrote about the play Waiting for Godot. This play was written by another Irish writer, Samuel Beckett. Mercier once said that Waiting for Godot was a play "in which nothing happens, that yet keeps audiences glued to their seats." He even joked that "nothing happens, twice" because the second part of the play is very similar to the first.
Even though this might sound like a criticism, Vivian Mercier was actually a big fan and expert on Samuel Beckett's work. He wrote a lot about Waiting for Godot. He also wrote an important book about all of Beckett's plays and books, called Beckett/Beckett.
Later Life and Legacy
Vivian Mercier passed away in 1989. Interestingly, Samuel Beckett also died in the same year.
Mercier's last wife was Eilís Dillon, who was an Irish writer herself. She wrote books for both adults and children. After Vivian Mercier died, Eilís Dillon helped publish one of his books called Modern Irish Literature: Sources and Founders.
Vivian Mercier is buried next to his wife in his hometown of Clara.
