Auguste Brizeux
Auguste Brizeux, originally born Julien-Auguste-Pélage Brizeux in 1803 in Lorient, Brittany, France, was a notable poet and writer of the 19th century. The only child of a naval medical officer, he faced early loss with his father's death, leading to a diverse upbringing, including education by a parish priest and attendance at the Collège de Vannes. Initially pursuing law in Paris, Brizeux found his passion in literature and became involved in the Romantic literary scene, connecting with fellow poets and artists. His breakthrough work, "Marie," published in 1832, showcased his unique style by blending narrative structure with poetry. Brizeux's literary career flourished as he traveled throughout Italy and Brittany, leading to his appointment as inspector of historic monuments for Brittany, which supported his creative endeavors. Despite a successful career marked by awards and honors, including the Légion d'Honneur, Brizeux struggled with health issues, ultimately succumbing to tuberculosis in 1858. His contributions to poetry and literature, particularly focused on Breton culture and legends, reflect a deep appreciation for his homeland and the artistic environment of his time.
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Auguste Brizeux
Writer
- Born: September 12, 1803
- Birthplace: Lorient, Brittany, France
- Died: May 3, 1858
- Place of death: Montpellier, France
Biography
Auguste Brizeux was born Julien-Auguste-Pélage Brizeux in Lorient, Brittany, France, in 1803. He was the only child of Pélage-Julien Brizeux, a medical officer in the navy, and Françoise-Souveraine Hoguet. After his father died when he was was seven, his mother remarried and she and her new husband, Jacques Boyer, had five more children. Brizeux was educated by a relative, a parish priest in Arzano, about twelve miles north of Lorient. In 1816, he left Arzano and entered the Collège de Vannes, where he spent the next three years. He finished his secondary schooling at Arras, where he extensively studied the works of Ovid and Vergil, some of which he translated into French. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1822, he worked as an apprentice in a lawyer’s office in Lorient.
In 1823, he entered law school in Paris, but he was far more interested in the cultural scene, particularly in poetry and art. He was so busy writing poetry and visiting art museums that he failed his first law exams, but he finally received his bachelor of law degree in 1826. He decided to pursue literature rather than law, however, and he soon was acquainted with many Romantic poets and artists. With his friend Philippe Busoni, he was commissioned by the Comédie-Française to write a comedy to commemorate playwright Jean Racine’s birthday celebration. The play, which was a modest success, was followed by another Brizeux-Busoni collaboration, a novel entitled Mémoires de Madame de La Vallière, which was less successful.
When his Marie, roman appeared in 1832, his place in literary circles was secure. Even though roman is the French word for novel, this work is really a series of poems that recount Brizeux’s experiences in narrative order. When he revised and reissued Marie in 1836, he changed the word roman to poème, or poem.
During the early1830’s, he traveled to Italy, visiting literary and artistic luminaries and museums, and his travels would later be incorporated into his second collection of poems, which was published in 1841. Upon his return to Paris, he published several new poems and some critical pieces in Revue des Deux Mondes and taught contemporary poetry at the Athenaeum of Marseilles before returning to Italy for four months. He also traveled in Brittany, which became a focus of his study, and his interest in the region led to his appointment as inspector of historic monuments for Brittany, a post that gave him the income he needed to pursue his literary interests.
He published a translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy (1307-1321) and another collection of poetry, Les Bretons, poème, about life in Brittany. In 1846, he was named to the Légion d’Honneur and was offered the position of librarian at Saints Geneviève in Paris, but he was suffering from rheumatism and his ill health prevented him from accepting the appointment. In 1847, he was awarded the literary prize of the Académie Française, and he used the prize money to move to Italy, where he spent the next four years. His next collection of poems about Brittany was well received, and he also published a book about Breton legends that won him another prize from the Académie Française. Brizeux’s health continued to fail, however, and he died of tuberculosis in 1858.