The real name of Stendhal. Stendhal: biography and creativity

Frederik Stendhal is one of the most significant figures in the world of literary criticism. He is not only the author of novels, biographies, aphorisms and a cycle of travel notes in Italy devoted to various areas of life, but also the founder of "psychological novels", when realism began to address the state of the inner world of an ordinary person with their own problems.

Childhood and youth

Marie-Henri Bayle (this is the real name of the writer) was born on January 23, 1783 in the small town of Grenoble in southeastern France. His father, Sheruben Beyle, was a lawyer. Mother Henriette Bayle died when the boy was only 7 years old. The upbringing of the son fell on the shoulders of the father and aunt.

But they did not develop a warm trusting relationship. The grandfather Henri Gagnon became the mentor and educator of the future famous French writer. Stendhal's quote about him:

“I was brought up entirely by my dear grandfather, Henri Gagnon. This rare person once made a pilgrimage to Ferney to see Voltaire, and was well received by him.

The boy came to the local central school with an extensive store of knowledge. The home education given by his grandfather was so good that Marie-Henri studied there for only 3 years. At school, he paid great attention to Latin, the exact sciences and philosophy. In addition, he closely followed the French Revolution and fortifications.


In 1799, Stendhal left school and went to Paris. His goal was originally to enter the Polytechnic School, but the ideas of the revolution did not leave his mind. Therefore, the young man goes to serve in the army, where he receives the rank of sub-lieutenant. After some time, thanks to family ties, the writer was transferred to Italy. From that time on, love for this country begins, which will sweep through his whole life and become one of the main themes of his work.

At one time, Marie-Henri visits Germany and Austria. Each trip was commemorated by taking notes detailing the arts, especially music, painting, and poetry. The third part of these notes was irretrievably lost while crossing the Berezina.

However, after some time, the situation changes dramatically. Stendhal was disappointed: Napoleon's policy in fact turned out to be completely different. So he decides to retire from the army and return to France. After that, the writer settled in Paris. He devotes his time to the study of philology (including English), as well as philosophy.

Creation

After Napoleon fell, the Bourbon dynasty returned to the French throne. Stendhal refused to recognize this power, so he leaves his homeland and leaves for Milan. He will stay there for 7 years. At this time, the early works of the writer appear: “The Lives of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio”, “The History of Painting in Italy”, “Rome, Naples and Florence in 1817”. This is how the pseudonym appeared, which in fact is the hometown of Johann Winckelmann - Stendal. He would come to the realistic direction only in the 1920s.


During his life in Italy, Stendhal managed to get closer to the society of the Carbonari. But because of the persecution, he had to urgently return to his homeland. At first, things went badly: the writer gained a dubious reputation, because unflattering rumors about friendship with representatives of the Carbonari reached France. The writer had to behave as carefully as possible in order to continue his literary activity. In 1822, the book "On Love" was published, changing the idea of ​​the writer's personality.


The debut realistic novel "Armans" was published in 1827, and a couple of years later - the short story "Vanina Vanini", which tells about the forbidden relationship between the daughter of an Italian aristocrat and an arrested Carbonari. There is a 1961 film adaptation directed by Roberto Rossellini. Next to this work is the “Abbates of Castro”, which is part of the Italian chronicles.


In 1830, Stendhal wrote one of his most famous novels, Red and Black. The plot was based on a story that got on the pages of newspapers in the section of the criminal chronicle. Although the work was later called a classic, in fact, Stendhal had a hard time with creativity. He did not have a permanent job and money, which negatively affected his peace of mind. Today, the novel is very famous, it was taken 7 times for filming films and TV shows.


In the same year, a new life begins for the writer. He enters the service of the consulate of Trieste, followed by a transfer to Civitavecchia, where the novelist will stay for the rest of his life. He practically abandoned literature. The work took a lot of time, and the city did not provide inspiration for creativity. The most significant work of this period was The Parma Monastery, the last completed novel published during the writer's lifetime. The rapidly developing disease took the last strength.

Personal life

In his personal life, the writer was very unlucky. The women who met Stendhal on the path of life did not linger for a long time. He was very loving, but his feelings often remained unrequited. The writer did not want to tie the knot, because he was already firmly connected with literature. He didn't have children.


Stendhal's Lovers: Mathilde Viscontini, Wilhelmine von Griesheim, Alberte de Rubempre, Giulia Rigneri

A deep imprint in the writer's heart was left by the wife of General Jan Dembowski (a Pole by nationality) - Matilda Viscontini. It is to her that the book "About Love" is dedicated. Matilda became colder towards Beyle, and the fire inside him was kindled. It is not known how this story would have ended, but Stendhal was forced to leave for England, hiding from the authorities. Viscontini is dying at this time. She was thirty-five years old.

Death

Every year the novelist got worse. Doctors diagnosed him with syphilis, forbade him to travel outside the city and keep a pen to write works. Stendhal can no longer write books on his own, he needs help. Therefore, he dictates his works to be transferred to paper. Prescribed medicines gradually took away the last forces. But a week before the fatal day, the dying man was allowed to go to Paris to say goodbye.


Stendhal dies in the French capital while walking through the streets of the city, in 1842. Mystically, he himself predicts such a death a few years before. Today, the cause of death, scientists indicate a stroke. It was the second blow, so the body could not stand it. In his will, the writer expressed his last will regarding the tombstone. There should be an epitaph in Italian:

"Arrigo Bayle. Milanese. He wrote, he loved, he lived.

Stendhal's will was fulfilled only half a century later, when his grave was identified in the Montmartre cemetery, in the northern region of Paris.

Quotes by Stendhal

"The flexibility of the mind can replace beauty."
"You can't be called a politician if you don't have patience and the ability to control your anger."
“Almost all the unhappiness in life comes from a false idea of ​​what happens to us. Therefore, a deep knowledge of people and a sound judgment of events brings us closer to happiness.
"Romanticism is the art of giving peoples such literary works as, in the present state of their customs and beliefs, can give them the greatest pleasure."

Bibliography

  • 1827 - "Armans"
  • 1829 - "Vanina Vanini"
  • 1830 - "Red and Black"
  • 1832 - "Memoirs of an Egoist"
  • 1834 - Lucien Leven"
  • 1835 - "The Life of Henri Brular"
  • 1839 - "Lamiel"
  • 1839 - "Excessive favor is fatal"
  • 1839 - "Parma Convent"

French writer, one of the founders of the French realistic novel of the XIX century Marie-Henri Beyle (Marie-Henri Beyle), pseudonym Stendhal (Stendhal), was born on January 23, 1783 in Grenoble (France).

His father, Chérubin Bayle, was a lawyer at the Supreme Court of Grenoble. The writer's mother, Adelaide-Henriette Bayle, died when the boy was seven years old.

The grandfather was engaged in education, who was familiar with famous literary figures. Henri studied at school for three years, while independently studying mathematics, philosophy and logic.

In 1799, Henri traveled to Paris with the intention of enrolling in the Ecole Polytechnique. Instead, he enlisted in the army.

He was assigned as a second lieutenant in the French army stationed in Italy. Three years later, he resigned, deciding to again engage in self-education, but in 1805 he returned to the service. As a military official, he visited several European states: Austria, Germany, Italy. He witnessed the Battle of Borodino.

After the defeat of Napoleon, he settled in Milan (Italy), where he became close to the Carbonari Republicans, made friends with Byron.

In Italy, the writer created his first works, among which were: "The Biography of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio" (Vies de Haydn, de Mozart et de Métastase, 1814), "The History of Painting in Italy" (L "histoire de la peinture en Italie, 1817), "Rome, Naples and Florence in 1817" (Rome, Naples et Florence, 1917) - the first book written under the pseudonym Stendhal - and others.

From 1821 to 1830 he lived in Paris and collaborated with English magazines as a literary and art critic. During this period, he wrote the books "On Love" (De l'amour, 1822), "The Life of Rossini" (Vie de Rossini, 1824), "Walks in Rome" (Promenades dans Rome, 1829). In France, Stendhal published his first novel "Armans" (Armance, 1827) and the short story "Vanina Vanini" (Vanina Vanini, 1829).

Also during this period, he wrote the novel "The Monastery of Parma" (La Chartreuse de Parme, 1839) and one of the most famous works of the writer - the novel "Red and Black" (Le Rouge et le Noir, 1930), based on the incident, about which the author read in the newspaper section of the criminal chronicle.

Despite his active literary activity, the writer's financial situation was difficult, and in 1930 Stendhal entered the civil service. He was appointed French consul in Trieste, and then in Civita Vecchia.

Not all of Stendhal's works were published during his lifetime. In particular - the writer's autobiography "The Life of Henri Brulard" (Vie de Henri Brulard) and the unfinished novel "Lucien Leuwen" (Lucien Leuwen), which had the title "Red and White" as an option.

fr. Marie Henry Beyle; pseudonym Stendhal (Stendhal)

French writer, one of the founders of the psychological novel

Stendhal

short biography

Frederik Stendhal- the literary pseudonym of Henri Marie Bayle, a famous French writer, one of the founders of the psychological novel genre, one of the most prominent writers of France in the 19th century. During his lifetime, he gained fame less as a novelist and more as a writer of books about Italian sights. He was born on January 23, 1783 in Grenoble. His father, a wealthy lawyer who lost his wife early (Henri Marie was 7 years old) did not pay enough attention to raising his son.

As a pupil of Abbot Ralyana, Stendhal was imbued with antipathy to religion and the church. Passion for the works of Holbach, Diderot and other philosophers of the Enlightenment, as well as the First French Revolution, had a huge impact on the formation of Stendhal's views. Throughout his later life, he remained faithful to revolutionary ideals and defended them as resolutely as none of his fellow writers who lived in the 19th century did.

For three years, Henri studied at the Central School of Grenoble, and in 1799 he left for Paris, intending to become a student at the Polytechnic School. However, Napoleon's coup made such a strong impression on him that he signed up for the army. Young Henri ended up in the Italian North, and this country will forever remain in his heart. In 1802, filled with disappointment in the policies of Napoleon, he resigned, settled for three years in Paris, read a lot, becoming a frequenter of literary salons and theaters, while dreaming of a career as a playwright. In 1805 he was again in the army, but this time as a quartermaster. Accompanying troops on military campaigns until 1814, he, in particular, took part in the battles of the Napoleonic army in Russia in 1812.

Having a negative attitude towards the return of the monarchy in the person of the Bourbons, Stendhal resigns after the defeat of Napoleon and moves to Italian Milan for seven years, where his first books appear: The Life of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio (published in 1817), as well as research "Rome, Naples and Florence" and the two-volume "History of Painting in Italy".

The persecution of the Carbonari that began in the country in 1820 forced Stendhal to return to France, but rumors about his "suspicious" connections did him a disservice, forcing him to behave extremely cautiously. Stendhal collaborates with English magazines without signing publications with his name. A number of works appear in Paris, in particular, the treatise “Racine and Shakespeare” published in 1823, which became the manifesto of the French romantics. These years in his biography were quite difficult. The writer was filled with pessimism, his financial situation depended on episodic earnings, he wrote a will more than once during this time.

When the July Monarchy was established in France, in 1830 Stendhal got the opportunity to enter the civil service. King Louis appointed him consul in Trieste, but unreliability allowed him to take this position only in Civita Vecchia. Having an atheistic outlook, sympathizing with revolutionary ideas, and writing works imbued with the spirit of protest, it was equally difficult for him to live in France and Italy.

From 1836 to 1839, Stendhal was in Paris on a long vacation, during which his last famous novel, The Parma Convent, was written. During another vacation, this time a short one, he came to Paris for just a few days, and there he had a stroke. This happened in the autumn of 1841, and on March 22, 1842, he died. The last years of his life were overshadowed by a difficult physical condition, weakness, inability to fully work: this is how syphilis manifested itself, which Stendhal contracted in his youth. Unable to write himself and dictating texts, Henri Marie Bayle continued to compose until his death.

Biography from Wikipedia

Marie-Henri Beyle(French Marie-Henri Beyle; January 23, 1783, Grenoble - March 23, 1842, Paris) - French writer, one of the founders of the psychological novel. He appeared in print under various pseudonyms, published the most important works under the name Stendhal (Stendhal). During his lifetime, he was known not so much as a novelist, but as the author of books about the sights of Italy.

early years

Henri Beyle (pseudonym Stendhal) was born on January 23, 1783 in Grenoble in the family of the lawyer Sheruben Beyle. Henriette Bayle, the writer's mother, died when the boy was seven years old. Therefore, his aunt Serafi and his father were engaged in his upbringing. Little Henri did not work out with them. Only his grandfather Henri Gagnon treated the boy warmly and attentively. Later, in his autobiography, The Life of Henri Brular, Stendhal recalled: “I was brought up entirely by my dear grandfather, Henri Gagnon. This rare person once made a pilgrimage to Ferney to see Voltaire, and was well received by him ... " Henri Gagnon was an admirer of the Enlightenment and introduced Stendhal to the work of Voltaire, Diderot and Helvetius. Since then, Stendhal has developed an aversion to clericalism. Due to the fact that Henri, as a child, encountered the Jesuit Rayyan, who forced him to read the Bible, he experienced horror and distrust of the clergy all his life.

While studying at the Grenoble central school, Henri followed the development of the revolution, although he hardly understood its importance. He studied at school for only three years, having mastered, by his own admission, only Latin. In addition, he was fond of mathematics, logic, philosophy, studied art history.

In 1799, Henri traveled to Paris with the intention of enrolling in the Ecole Polytechnique. But instead, inspired by Napoleon's coup, he enters the service in the army. He was enrolled as a sub-lieutenant in a dragoon regiment. Influential relatives from the Daru family secured an appointment for Beyle to the north of Italy, and the young man fell in love with this country forever. Freemasonry historian A. Mellor believes that "Stendhal's Freemasonry did not become widely publicized, although he belonged to the order for some time."

In 1802, gradually disillusioned with Napoleon, he resigned and lived for the next three years in Paris, educating himself, studying philosophy, literature and English. As follows from the diaries of that time, the future Stendhal dreamed of a career as a playwright, "the new Molière". Having fallen in love with actress Melanie Loison, the young man followed her to Marseille. In 1805 he returned to serve in the army again, but this time as a quartermaster. As an officer of the quartermaster service of the Napoleonic army, Henri traveled to Italy, Germany, and Austria. On campaigns, he found time for reflection and wrote notes on painting and music. He filled thick notebooks with his notes. Some of these notebooks perished while crossing the Berezina.

In 1812, Henri took part in Napoleon's Russian campaign. He visited Orsha, Smolensk, Vyazma, and witnessed the Battle of Borodino. I saw how Moscow burned, although he had no actual combat experience.

Literary activity

After the fall of Napoleon, the future writer, who negatively perceived the Restoration and the Bourbons, resigned and left for seven years in Italy, in Milan. It was here that he prepared for printing and wrote his first books: "The Lives of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio" (1815), "The History of Painting in Italy" (1817), "Rome, Naples and Florence in 1817". Large portions of the text in these books are borrowed from the works of other authors.

Claiming the laurels of the new Winckelmann, Henri Beyle takes the name of the author's hometown as his main pseudonym. In Italy, Henry is moving closer to the Republicans - the Carbonari. Here he experienced a hopeless love for Matilda Viscontini, the wife of the Polish General J. Dembowski, who died early, but left a mark on his heart forever.

In 1820, the persecution of the Carbonari, including Stendhal's friends, began in Italy, forcing him to return to his homeland two years later. Disgust for the reactionary Austrian regime, which established its dominance in the north of Italy, he would later convey on the pages of the novel The Parma Monastery. Paris met the writer unfriendly, as rumors about his dubious Italian acquaintances got here, he has to be very careful. He is published in English magazines without signing his articles. Only a hundred years later the author of these articles was identified. In 1822, he published the book "On Love" in various historical eras. In 1823, a manifesto of French romanticism, the treatise Racine and Shakespeare, was published in Paris.

In the 1920s, Stendhal gained a reputation in literary salons as a tireless and witty debater. In the same years, he creates several works that testify to his movement towards realism. Publishes his first novel "Armans" (1827), the story "Vanina Vanini" (1829). In the same 1829, he was offered to create a guide to Rome, he responded, and so the book Walks in Rome appeared, which is a story of French travelers about a trip to Italy. In 1830, the novel "Red and Black" was published, based on the incident, which the author read about in the newspaper section of the criminal chronicle. These years were quite difficult in the life of a writer who did not have a permanent income. He drew pistols in the margins of his manuscripts and wrote numerous wills.

Late period

After the establishment of the July Monarchy in France on July 28, 1830, Stendhal enters the civil service. He was appointed French consul in Trieste and then in Civitavecchia, where he would serve as consul until his death. In this port town, the Parisian was bored and lonely, the bureaucratic routine left little time for literary pursuits. To unwind, he often traveled to Rome. In 1832 he began to write "Memoirs of an Egotist", and after another 2 years he took up the novel "Lucien Leven", which he later abandoned. From 1835 to 1836 he was fascinated by writing an autobiographical novel, The Life of Henri Brular.

Having secured a long vacation for himself, Stendhal spent three fruitful years in Paris from 1836 to 1839. During this time, Notes of a Tourist (published in 1838) and the last novel, The Parma Convent, were written. (Stendhal, if he did not invent the word "tourism", was the first to introduce it into wide circulation). The attention of the general reading public to the figure of Stendhal in 1840 was attracted by one of the most popular French novelists, Balzac, in his "Study of Bale". Shortly before his death, the diplomatic department granted the writer a new vacation, which allowed him to return to Paris for the last time.

In recent years, the writer was in a very serious condition: the disease progressed. In his diary, he wrote that he was taking mercury preparations and potassium iodide for treatment, and that at times he was so weak that he could hardly hold a pen, and therefore had to dictate texts. Mercury preparations are known for many side effects. The assumption that Stendhal died of syphilis does not have sufficient evidence. In the 19th century, there was no relevant diagnosis of this disease (for example, gonorrhea was considered the initial stage of the disease, there were no microbiological, histological, cytological and other studies) - on the one hand. On the other hand, a number of figures of European culture were considered dead from syphilis - Heine, Beethoven, Turgenev and many others. In the second half of the 20th century, this point of view was revised. Thus, for example, Heinrich Heine is now regarded as suffering from one of the rare neurological ailments (more precisely, a rare form of one of the ailments).

March 23, 1842 Stendhal, having lost consciousness, fell right on the street and died a few hours later. Death was most likely due to a second stroke. Two years earlier, he suffered his first stroke, accompanied by severe neurological symptoms, including aphasia.

Stendhal was buried in the Montmartre cemetery.

In his will, the writer asked to write on the tombstone (performed in Italian):

Arrigo Bayle

Milanese

Wrote. I loved. Lived.

Artworks

Fiction is a small fraction of what Bayle wrote and published. In order to earn his living, at the dawn of his literary activity, in a great hurry, he "created biographies, treatises, memoirs, memoirs, travel essays, articles, even original" guidebooks "and wrote books of this kind much more than novels or short stories" ( D. V. Zatonsky).

His travel essays "Rome, Naples et Florence" ("Rome, Naples and Florence"; 1818; 3rd ed. 1826) and "Promenades dans Rome" ("Walks in Rome", 2 vol. 1829) throughout the 19th century used success with travelers in Italy (although the main estimates from the standpoint of today's science seem hopelessly outdated). Stendhal also owns the "History of Painting in Italy" (vol. 1-2; 1817), "Notes of a Tourist" (fr. "Mémoires d "un touriste", vol. 1-2, 1838), the famous treatise "On Love" ( published in 1822).

Novels and short stories

  • The first novel - "Armans" (fr. "Armance", vols. 1-3, 1827) - about a girl from Russia who receives the inheritance of a repressed Decembrist, was not successful.
  • "Vanina Vanini" (fr. "Vanina Vanini", 1829) - a story about the fatal love of an aristocrat and a carbonaria, filmed in 1961 by Roberto Rossellini
  • “Red and Black” (French “Le Rouge et le Noir”; 2 volumes, 1830; 6 hours, 1831; Russian translation by A. N. Pleshcheev in “Notes of the Fatherland”, 1874) is the most important work of Stendhal, the first in European literature novel career; was highly appreciated by major writers, including Pushkin and Balzac, but at first he was not successful with the general public.
  • In the adventure novel "The Parma Monastery" ( "La Chartreuse de Parme"; 2 vol. 1839-1846) Stendhal gives a fascinating description of court intrigues in a small Italian court; the Ruritanian tradition of European literature goes back to this work.

Unfinished artwork

  • The novel "Red and White", or "Lucien Leuwen" (fr. "Lucien Leuwen", 1834-1836, published 1929).
  • The autobiographical novels The Life of Henri Brulard (French Vie de Henry Brulard, 1835, ed. 1890) and Memoirs of an Egotist (French Souvenirs d "égotisme", 1832, ed. 1892), an unfinished novel, were also published posthumously. "Lamiel" (fr. "Lamiel", 1839-1842, ed. 1889, in full 1928) and "Excessive favor is fatal" (1839, ed. 1912-1913).

Italian stories

Sorting through the archives of the Papal State of the Renaissance, Stendhal discovered many romantic stories that in the 1830s. prepared for publication under the title "Italian Chronicles" (fr. "Chroniques italiennes"). A separate edition of these stories followed in 1855.

Editions

  • The complete works of Bayle in 18 volumes (Paris, 1855-1856), as well as two volumes of his correspondence (1857), were published by Prosper Mérimée.
  • Sobr. op. ed. A. A. Smirnova and B. G. Reizova, vol. 1-15, Leningrad - Moscow, 1933-1950.
  • Sobr. op. in 15 vols. General ed. and intro. Art. B. G. Reizova, vol. 1-15, Moscow, 1959.
  • Stendhal (Beyl A.M.). Moscow in the first two days of the entry of the French into it in 1812. (From Stendhal's diary) / Communication. V. Gorlenko, note. P. I. Barteneva // Russian archive, 1891. - Book. 2. - Issue. 8. - S. 490-495.

Characteristics of creativity

Stendhal expressed his aesthetic credo in the articles "Racine and Shakespeare" (1822, 1825) and "Walter Scott and the Princess of Cleves" (1830). In the first of them, he interprets romanticism not as a concrete historical phenomenon inherent in the beginning of the 19th century, but as a rebellion of innovators of any era against the conventions of the previous period. The standard of romanticism for Stendhal is Shakespeare, who "teaches movement, variability, the unpredictable complexity of world perception." In the second article, he abandons the Walter-Scottian inclination to describe "the clothes of the heroes, the landscape in which they are, their features." According to the writer, it is much more productive in the tradition of Madame de Lafayette "to describe the passions and various feelings that excite their souls."

Henri Marie Beyle (pseudonym Frederic de Stendhal) was born on January 23, 1783 in the small French town of Grenoble in the family of the lawyer Sherubin Beyle. Henriette Bayle, the writer's mother, died when the boy was seven years old. Therefore, his aunt Serafi and his father were engaged in his upbringing. Little Henri did not work out with them. Only his grandfather Henri Gagnon treated the boy warmly and attentively. Later, in his autobiography, The Life of Henri Brulard, Stendhal recalled: “I was brought up entirely by my dear grandfather, Henri Gagnon. This rare person once made a pilgrimage to Ferney to see Voltaire, and was well received by him ... ”Henri Gagnon was an admirer of the Enlightenment and introduced Stendhal to Voltaire, Diderot and Helvetius. Since then, Stendhal has developed a negative attitude towards clericalism.
Due to the fact that Henri, as a child, encountered the Jesuit Rayyan, who forced him to read the Bible, he experienced horror and distrust of the clergy all his life.
While studying at the Grenoble Central School, Henri followed the development of the revolution, although he hardly understood the importance of its significance. He studied at school for only three years, having mastered, by his own admission, only Latin. In addition, he was fond of mathematics, logic, philosophy, studied art history.
In 1799, Henri went to Paris with the intention of entering the Polytechnic School. But instead, inspired by Napoleon's coup, he enters the service in the army. He was enrolled as a sub-lieutenant in a dragoon regiment. However, in 1802 he resigned and lived for the next three years in Paris, educating himself, studying philosophy, literature and English. Then he is in the trading service in Marseille, and in 1805 he returns to serve in the army. As a military officer of the Napoleonic army, Henri traveled to Italy, Germany, Austria. On campaigns, he found time for reflection and wrote notes on painting and music. He filled thick notebooks with his notes. Some of these notebooks perished while crossing the Berezina.
In 1812, Henri took part in Napoleon's Russian campaign. He visited Orsha, Smolensk, Vyazma, witnessed the battle of Borodino. I saw how Moscow burned. In Russia, he said, he saw "patriotism and real greatness." He was struck by the fact that "the despotism of the Russian autocracy did not at all degrade the people spiritually."
After the fall of Napoleon, Henry, who negatively perceives the Restoration and the Bourbons, resigns and leaves for seven years in Italy, in Milan. It was here that he prepared for printing and wrote his first books: "The Lives of Haydn, Mozart and Metastasio" (1815), "The History of Painting in Italy" (1817), "Rome, Naples and Florence in 1817". In Italy, Henry becomes close to the Republican Carbonari, makes friends with Byron. Here he experienced a hopeless love for Matilda Viscontini, who died early, but forever left a mark on his memory. In 1820, the persecution of the Carbonari, including friends of Stendhal, began in Italy. Terror breaks out. Therefore, Stendhal decides to return to his homeland.
In 1822, Henri returned to France, where the Bourbons were still in power. Paris met the writer unfriendly, as rumors about his dubious Italian acquaintances got here. He has to be very careful. He is published in English magazines without signing his articles. Only a hundred years later the author of these articles was identified. In 1822 he publishes the book "On Love" in various historical eras. In 1823 and 1825 Stendhal publishes his literary pamphlets "Racine and Shakespeare" in Paris. In the 1920s, Stendhal created several works testifying to the development of the writer's realistic talent. Publishes his first novel "Armans" (1827), the short story "Vanina Vanini" (1829). In the same 1829, he was offered to create a guide to Rome, he responded, and so the book Walks in Rome appeared, which is a story of French travelers about a trip to Italy. In 1830, the novel "Red and Black" was published. These years were quite difficult in the life of a writer who did not have a permanent income. He drew pistols in the margins of his manuscripts and wrote numerous wills. After the establishment of the July Monarchy in France on July 28, 1830, Frederic Stendhal enters the civil service. He was appointed French consul in Trieste and then in Civita Vecchia (he would serve as consul until his death). In 1832 he began to write the memoirs of an egoist, in 1834 he took up the novel Lucien-Leven. From 1835 to 1836 he was fascinated by writing an autobiographical novel, The Life of Henri Brulard. In 1838, Notes of a Tourist was published in Paris, and in 1839 the last book printed during his lifetime, The Parma Convent, was published.
In the last years of his life, the writer was increasingly in a gloomy mood. On November 8, 1841, the writer wrote in his diary: "There is nothing funny about the fact that I can die on the street." And he really died on March 23, 1842, on the street during a walk, struck by an apoplexy. The next day, French newspapers reported that "the little-known German poet Friedrich Stindal" had been buried in the Montmartre cemetery.

Stendhal- a famous French writer, one of the founders of the psychological novel. In his works, Stendhal skillfully described the emotions and character of his characters.

At a young age, Stendhal had to meet the Jesuit Rayyan, who encouraged the boy to read the holy books of Catholics. However, having learned Rayyanom closer, Stendhal began to feel distrust and even disgust for church ministers.

When Stendhal was 16 years old, he went to enter the Polytechnic School.

However, inspired by the French Revolution and the actions of Napoleon, he decides to join the army.

Soon, not without outside help, Stendhal was transferred to serve in northern Italy. Once in this country, he was fascinated by its beauty and architecture.

It was there that Stendhal wrote the first works in his biography. It is worth noting that he wrote many works about Italian sights.

Later, the writer presented the book "Biography of Haydn and Metastasio", in which he described in detail the biographies of great composers.

He publishes all his works under the pseudonym Stendhal.

Soon, Stendhal met the secret society of the Carbonari, whose members criticized the current government and promoted the ideas of democracy.

As a result, he had to be very careful.

Over time, rumors began to appear that Stendhal was in close ties with the Carbonari, in connection with which he was forced to urgently return to France.

Works by Stendhal

After 5 years, the novel "Armans" was published, written in the style of realism.

After that, the writer presented the story "Vanina Vanini", which tells about the love of a rich Italian woman for an arrested carbonari.

In 1830, he wrote one of the most famous novels in his biography, Red and Black. Today it is included in the compulsory school curriculum. Based on this work, many films and serials were shot.

In the same year, Stendhal becomes consul in Trieste, after which he works in Civitavecchia (a city in Italy) in the same position.

By the way, here he will work until his death. During this period, he wrote the autobiographical novel The Life of Henri Brulard.

After that, Stendhal is working on the novel The Parma Monastery. An interesting fact is that he managed to write this work in just 52 days.

Personal life

In Stendhal's personal life, not everything was as smooth as in the literary field. And although he had many love affairs with different girls, in the end, they all stopped.

At the same time, it is worth noting that Stendhal, in general, did not seek to marry, since he connected his life only with literature. As a result, he never left any offspring.

Death

Stendhal spent the last years of his life in a serious illness. Doctors discovered he had syphilis, so he was forbidden to leave the city.

Over time, he became so weak that he could no longer hold the pen in his hands on his own. For writing works, Stendhal used the help of stenographers.

A few days before his death, he was allowed to go to Paris to say goodbye to loved ones.

Stendhal died on March 23, 1842 while walking. He was 59 years old. The official cause of death was a stroke, which was the second in a row.

The writer is buried in Paris at the Montmartre cemetery. An interesting fact is that shortly before his death, Stendhal asked to write the following phrase on his tombstone: “Arrigo Beyle. Milanese. He wrote, he loved, he lived.

If you liked Stendhal's short biography, share it on social networks. If you like biographies of great people in general, and in particular, subscribe to the site. It's always interesting with us!