Biography

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René-Émile Char, born on June 14, 1907, in the picturesque town of L’Île-en-Sorgue, France, grew up surrounded by the natural beauty of the Vaucluse region. His father, Émile Char, was a manufacturer and the mayor, and his mother, Marie-Thérèse-Armand Rouget, hailed from Cavaillon. This vibrant environment, combined with the diverse local industries, shaped Char’s early years and instilled in him a passion for freedom that would later pervade his poetry.

Formative Years and Education

René Char's youth was spent amidst the lush landscapes and industrious communities of the Vaucluse. The rugged independence of the local craftsmen, peasants, and fishermen left a lasting impression on him. After the untimely death of his father in 1918, Char continued his studies at a lycée in Avignon following his initial public schooling. His educational journey briefly took him to Tunisia in 1924, where he developed a strong aversion to colonialism. Char then returned to France, enrolling at the École-de-Commerce in Marseilles. However, his academic pursuits were interrupted when he left for military service in Nîmes between 1927 and 1928. During this period, he published his first collection of poems, Les Cloches sur le cœur.

Surrealism and Literary Development

Char's second poetry collection, Arsenal, marked his initial foray into the Surrealist movement. He sent a copy to Paul Éluard, a leading Surrealist poet, who was so impressed that he traveled to L’Île-en-Sorgue to meet Char. This sparked a lifelong friendship, and Char eventually moved to Paris. There, Éluard introduced him to iconic Surrealists, including André Breton. Together, they collaborated on the poem Ralentir travaux and launched the periodical La Surréalisme au service de la révolution. In 1933, Char married Georgette Goldstein, though their marriage would end in 1949. He published Le Marteau sans maître in 1934, and his life during the early 1930s alternated between Paris and L’Île-en-Sorgue, with several trips to Spain enriching his experiences.

Political Awakening and Resistance

By the mid-1930s, Char began distancing himself from Surrealism, as the political scene in Europe demanded more proactive engagement. He severed ties with the movement in 1934, seeking instead to champion the oppressed as suggested in Le Marteau sans maître. After briefly managing chalk pits in Vaucluse, he resigned in 1935. The onset of the Spanish Civil War coincided with a period of illness for Char in 1936, during which he published Placard pour un chemin des écoliers and Dehors la nuit est gouvernée, reflecting his growing activist spirit. When World War II broke out, Char served in the artillery in Alsace until France's defeat.

Resistance and Wartime Contributions

As the Vichy regime cast suspicion on him due to his Surrealist connections, Char fled with Georgette to the Alps. There, he joined the French Resistance as a maquisard in the Armée Secrète, adopting the alias Captain Alexandre from 1943 to 1945. He played a crucial role in the Parachute Landing Division of the Second Region of the Forces françaises combattantes and became a deputy in the Free French operations network. Despite being injured in combat against German forces in 1944, Char continued his resistance efforts, eventually participating in the liberation of Provence after being parachuted back into France. For his bravery and leadership, he was honored with several military decorations, including the Croix de Guerre and the Médaille de la Résistance.

Post-War Literary Success

Following World War II, René Char's poetic voice reemerged with the publication of Seuls demeurant and Leaves of Hypnos, garnering widespread acclaim. Georges Mounin’s influential critique Avez-vous lu Char? bolstered his reputation. Although Char spent more time in Paris, he remained detached from mainstream literary...

(This entire section contains 805 words.)

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circles, preferring the tranquility of the Vaucluse. He declined many accolades but accepted the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur and the Prix des Critiques in 1966. Char maintained a distance from partisan politics, despite his leftist inclinations, focusing instead on the intrinsic value of poetry.

Friendships and Philosophical Influences

Among Char's closest confidants was Albert Camus, with whom he shared a commitment to linking literature with the pursuit of freedom and human dignity. He also corresponded with Russian poet and novelist Boris Pasternak and, starting in 1955, began a significant intellectual exchange with German philosopher Martin Heidegger. These relationships enriched his philosophical outlook, significantly influencing his later works.

Legacy and Later Years

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Char's poetry found a growing audience and was translated into numerous languages. His collaboration with Georges Braque in 1947 marked the beginning of his interest in publishing poetry in exquisite editions, often illustrated by renowned artists like Picasso and Nicolas de Stäel. Char himself sometimes contributed illustrations to his works. As his philosophical interests deepened, Char saw his poetic role as a societal commentator and revolutionary advocate for humanity. He passed away in Paris on February 19, 1988, leaving behind a legacy of profound poetic and philosophical insights.

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