Gonzalve Desaulniers
Gonzalve Desaulniers was a notable French Canadian editor, jurist, and poet from the early twentieth century, recognized for his contributions to literature and civic life in Quebec. Born in Saint-Guillaume d'Upton, Quebec, he demonstrated an early interest in politics and journalism, becoming an editor at the age of fourteen for a local newspaper. Desaulniers pursued higher education at the Jesuit Collège Sainte-Marie and later attended the Université de Montréal for law. He balanced his family life with a career in journalism, notably serving as editor of Le National, a radical publication, while also working as a practicing lawyer after his admission to the bar in 1896.
His literary works emphasize the enduring connection between Quebec and France, with his 1918 poem "Pour la France" celebrating early French settlers. His later poetry collection, "Le Bois qui chantent," published in 1930, is recognized as an important piece of Quebecois regionalist literature that romanticizes nature and rural life. Desaulniers' achievements extended beyond literature, as he was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec in 1923 and recognized by the Royal Society of Canada in 1932. He passed away in 1934, leaving a legacy that reflects the cultural and historical ties between Quebec and its French heritage.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Gonzalve Desaulniers
Poet
- Born: June 24, 1863
- Birthplace: Saint-Guillaume d'Upton, Quebec, Canada
- Died: April 5, 1934
Biography
Gonzalve Desaulniers was a French Canadian editor, jurist, and poet of the early twentieth century. His poetry and civic activities promoted the continuing bond between Quebec and France.
Desaulniers was born in the village of Saint-Guillaume d’Upton, Quebec, to a medical doctor and his wife. From an early age, Desaulniers was interested in politics and journalism. At the age of fourteen, Desaulniers was an editor for the Journal d’Arthabaska, a newspaper with liberal political leanings. He attended the Jesuit Collège Sainte- Marie and studied law at Université de Montréal. In 1887, he married Elisabeth Martin, and the couple had three children.
At the time he was admitted to the bar in 1896, Desaulniers was also serving as editor of Le National, a radical newspaper. Desaulniers published a patriotic poem, Pour la France, in 1918, which sung the praises of early French settlers in Quebec and stressed the abiding bonds between the colony and the fatherland. A latter collection of poems, Le Bois qui chantent (1930), deals romantically with nature and the rural life and is considered a seminal work of Quebecois regionalist poetry.
Desaulniers was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec in 1923, and he was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1932. He died in 1934.