Paul Morin
Paul Morin was a notable 19th-century poet hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Born to Antoina Marchand Morin, the founder of a well-regarded music school, he received a comprehensive education, culminating in studies at Laval University and the Sorbonne in Paris. Beginning his writing career at the age of fourteen, Morin's poetry was published in various journals, but he gained significant recognition with his first poetry collection, "Le Paon d'émail," which was acclaimed in Paris for its unique themes and clean verse, despite facing criticism in Canada for diverging from nationalistic and religious subjects. His 1922 collection, "Poèmes de cendre et d'or," explored profound themes of life and death and earned him the prestigious Priz David. Morin's contributions extended beyond poetry; he also edited a literary magazine and was known for his work in legal interpretation and radio. Later in life, he endured personal tragedies, including the death of his wife and the loss of his home in a fire, which deeply influenced his final poetry collection, "Géronte et son miroir." Morin's literary legacy remains significant, reflecting his innovative approach to poetry and the impact of his personal experiences. He passed away in 1963 at the age of seventy-four.
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Paul Morin
Poet
- Born: April 6, 1889
- Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Died: July 17, 1963
Biography
Paul Morin, a nineteenth century poet, was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His mother was Antoina Marchand Morin, the foundress of L’Academie Marchand, a famous music school. Morin was educated at St. Mary’s College in Montreal. He then studied arts, science, and law at Laval University. After earning his degree, he studied at Lycée Saint-Louis de Gonzague in Paris. He returned to Montreal in 1910, and practiced law briefly before returning to Paris to pursue his doctorate degree in comparative literature from the Sorbonne.
Morin began publishing poetry at the age of fourteen. His work appeared in journals such as Le Nationaliste, Cœur de Jesus, and Le Journal de Françoise. In 1911, Morin published his first book of poems, titled Le Paon d’émail (the enamel peacock). This work was published in Paris, where it was lauded by critics for its clean verse and exotic themes. However, Le Paon d’émail was highly criticized in Canada, where most Canadian poets wrote about themes of nationalism and devotion to the Catholic Church.
Despite criticism in his native land, Morin continued to avoid traditional themes and write with an emphasis on the artistic and visual aspects of poetry. In 1922, he published a second book of poetry tilted Poèmes de cendre et d’or (poems in ashes and gold). This work, which explored the theme of life and death, won the prestigious Priz David. In 1923, after the success of his second poetry collection, Morin became a member of the Royal Society of Canada and received the Jubilee Medal from Great Britain. In addition to writing poetry, Morin edited La Revue moderne and spent fifteen years as an interpreter for the Quebec Tribunals. He also hosted the Canadian radio program Les Fureurs d’un purist.
In his later years, Morin suffered two great losses. The first, in 1952, was the death of his wife Genevieve Van Rennslaer-Bernhardt, to whom he had been married thirty-five years. Second, in 1957, Morin lost his home and possessions, including many manuscripts, in a house fire. These two tragedies set the tone for his final volume of poetry, titled Géronte et son miroir, which was published in 1960. This poetic work, which mirrored the sadness in his life, contained a preface that depicted a decrepit old man reflecting on the glory of his youth. Paul Morin never fully recovered emotionally from his losses. He died in 1963 at the age of seventy-four.