Louis Émile Clément Georges Bernanos (; 20 February 1888 – 5 July 1948) was a French author, and a soldier in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. A
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
with
monarchist
Monarchism is the advocacy of the system of monarchy or monarchical rule. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government independently of any specific monarch, whereas one who supports a particular monarch is a royalist. ...
leanings, he was critical of
elitist
Elitism is the belief or notion that individuals who form an elite—a select group of people perceived as having an intrinsic quality, high intellect, wealth, power, notability, special skills, or experience—are more likely to be construc ...
thought and was opposed to what he identified as
defeatism
Defeatism is the acceptance of defeat without struggle, often with negative connotations. It can be linked to pessimism in psychology, and may sometimes be used synonymously with fatalism or determinism.
History
The term ''defeatism'' is commonly ...
. He believed this had led to
France's defeat and eventual occupation by Germany in 1940 during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. His two major novels "
Sous le soleil de Satan" (1926) and the "
Journal d’un curé de campagne" (1936) both revolve around a parish priest who combats evil and despair in the world. Most of his novels have been translated into English and frequently published in both Great Britain and the United States.
Life and career
Bernanos was born in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, into a family of craftsmen. He spent much of his childhood in the village of
Fressin,
Pas-de-Calais
Pas-de-Calais (, " strait of Calais"; pcd, Pas-Calés; also nl, Nauw van Kales) is a department in northern France named after the French designation of the Strait of Dover, which it borders. It has the most communes of all the departments ...
region, which became a frequent setting for his novels. He served in the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
as a soldier, where he fought in the battles of the
Somme __NOTOC__
Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places
*Somme (department), a department of France
*Somme, Queensland, Australia
*Canal de la Somme, a canal in France
*Somme (river), a river in France
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Somme'' (book), a ...
and
Verdun
Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department.
Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...
. He was wounded several times.
After the war, he worked in insurance before writing ''Sous le soleil de Satan'' (1926, ''
Under the Sun of Satan''). He won the
Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française for ''
The Diary of a Country Priest
''The Diary of a Country Priest'' () is a 1936 novel by the French writer Georges Bernanos. The novel received the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française. In 1950 it was named one of the twelve best novels in the French language published b ...
'' (''Journal d'un curé de campagne''), published in 1936.
A man of
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...
leanings and a member of the ''
Camelots du Roi
The King's Camelots, officially the National Federation of the King's Camelots (french: Fédération nationale des Camelots du Roi) was a far-right youth organization of the French militant royalist and integralist movement Action Française act ...
'' (
Action Française's youth organization) when he was younger, Bernanos broke with
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras (; ; 20 April 1868 – 16 November 1952) was a French author, politician, poet, and critic. He was an organizer and principal philosopher of ''Action Française'', a political movement that is monarchist, anti-parl ...
and the Action Française in 1932. He initially supported
Franco's coup at the outset of the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
. However, after he observed the conflict in
Majorca
Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean.
The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Bal ...
and saw 'a terrorized people,' he became disgusted with the ''
nacionales'' and criticized them in the book ''
Diary of My Times'' (1938). He wrote, "My illusions regarding the enterprise of
General Franco did not last long—two or three weeks—but while they lasted I conscientiously endeavoured to overcome the disgust which some of his men and means caused me."
With political tensions rising in Europe, Bernanos emigrated to South America with his family in 1938, settling in
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
. He remained until 1945 in
Barbacena, State of Minas Gerais, where he tried his hand at managing a farm. His three sons returned to France to fight after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
broke out, while he fulminated at his country's 'spiritual exhaustion,' which he saw as the root of its collapse in 1940. From exile he mocked the 'ridiculous'
Vichy regime
Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...
and became a strong supporter of the
nationalist
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...
Free French Forces led by the
conservative Charles De Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...
. After France's Liberation, De Gaulle invited Bernanos to return to his homeland, offering him a post in the government. Bernanos did return but, disappointed to perceive no signs of spiritual renewal, he declined to play an active role in French political life.
Works and English translations
* ''
Sous le soleil de Satan'' 1926.
** ''The Star of Satan''. London: The Bodley Head, 1927
ew York: Macmillan, 1940; H. Fertig, 1975
** ''Under the Sun of Satan''. New York: Pantheon, 1949
niversity of Nebraska Press, 2001
**''Under the Sun of Satan''. Providence, RI: Cluny Media, 2017.
*''Les Ténèbres'' (diptyque): ''
L'Imposture
''The Impostor'' () is a 1927 novel by the French writer Georges Bernanos. It tells the story of a priest who loses his faith and sets out to rediscover his soul together with an elderly cleric.
Reception
''Publishers Weekly'' wrote in 1999: "Aust ...
'' (1927) & ''
La Joie'' (1928)
** ''Joy''. New York: Pantheon Books, 1946
ondon: The Bodley Head, 1948; Toronto: Thomas Nelson, 1948
** ''The Impostor''. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1999.
**''Joy''. Providence, RI: Cluny Media, 2020.
* ''
Un crime'' 1935.
**''The Crime''. London: Hale, 1936
ew York: E.P. Dutton, 1936
**''A Crime''. Providence, RI: Cluny Media, 2021.
* ''
Journal d'un curé de campagne'' 1936 (also issued serially 1935-36)
** ''The Diary of a Country Priest'' 1936 in Paris, France; London: The Bodley Head, 1937
ew York: Macmillan, 1948, 1962; Carroll & Graf, 1983, 2002
* ''
Nouvelle histoire de Mouchette'' 1937
** ''Mouchette''. London: The Bodley Head, 1966
ew York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1966; New York Review Books, 2006
* ''
Les grands cimetières sous la lune
''Les Grands Cimetières sous la Lune'' (1938; English: literally, ''The Great Cemeteries Under the Moon'', English title when published; ''A Diary of My Times'') is a book by novelist Georges Bernanos which fiercely condemns the atrocities carried ...
'' 1938
** ''A Diary of My Times''. New York: Macmillan, 1938
ondon: The Bodley Head, 1945
**''The Great Cemeteries under the Moon''. Providence, RI: Cluny Media, 2018.
* ''
Monsieur Ouine'' 1943
** ''The Open Mind''. London: The Bodley Head, 1945.
** ''Monsieur Ouine''. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
* ''Dialogues des carmélites'' 1949.
** ''
The Fearless Heart''. Toronto: Thomas Nelson, 1952
ondon: The Bodley Head, 1952
* ''Un mauvais rêve'' (posthumously 1950)
**
Night Is Darkest. London: The Bodley Head, 1953.
**''A Bad Dream''. Providence, RI: Cluny Media, 2020.
* ''Plea for Liberty''. New York: Pantheon, 1944
ondon: Dobson, 1946
* ''Sanctity Will Out''. London and New York:
Sheed & Ward
Sheed and Ward was a publishing house founded in London in 1926 by Catholic activists Frank Sheed and Maisie Ward. The head office was moved to New York in 1933.
The United States assets of Sheed and Ward have been owned by Rowman & Littlefie ...
, 1947.
* ''Tradition of Freedom''. London: Dobson, 1950
ew York: Roy, 1951
* ''The Last Essays of Georges Bernanos''. Chicago: Henry Regnery Co., 1955
onn.: Greenwood Press, 1968
**''Liberty: The Last Essays''. Providence, RI: Cluny Media, 2019.
Adaptations of selected works
* ''
The Diary of a Country Priest
''The Diary of a Country Priest'' () is a 1936 novel by the French writer Georges Bernanos. The novel received the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française. In 1950 it was named one of the twelve best novels in the French language published b ...
'': this was the first novel by Bernanos to be adapted as a film, called ''
Diary of a Country Priest
''Diary of a Country Priest'' (french: Journal d'un curé de campagne) is a 1951 French drama film written and directed by Robert Bresson, and starring Claude Laydu in his debut film performance. A faithful adaptation of Georges Bernanos' nove ...
'' (1951); it was directed by
Robert Bresson
Robert Bresson (; 25 September 1901 – 18 December 1999) was a French film director.
Known for his ascetic approach, Bresson contributed notably to the art of cinema; his non-professional actors, Ellipsis (narrative device), ellipses, and s ...
, and starred
Claude Laydu
Claude Laydu (; 10 March 1927 – 29 July 2011) was a Belgian-born Swiss actor on stage and in films. He was renowned for his performance in his film debut in the role of the young priest in Robert Bresson's ''Diary of a Country Priest'' (1951), ...
in his debut role.
*''
Mouchette
''Mouchette'' () is a 1967 French film directed by Robert Bresson, starring Nadine Nortier and Jean-Claude Guilbert. It is based on the novel of the same name by Georges Bernanos. Bresson explained his choice of the novel saying, "I found neither ...
'' was adapted into a
film of the same name by
Robert Bresson
Robert Bresson (; 25 September 1901 – 18 December 1999) was a French film director.
Known for his ascetic approach, Bresson contributed notably to the art of cinema; his non-professional actors, Ellipsis (narrative device), ellipses, and s ...
, released in 1967.
* ''
Under the Sun of Satan'': his novel was adapted as a
film of the same name, produced in 1987 in France. The film won the
Palme d'Or prize at the
1987 Cannes Film Festival
The 40th Cannes Film Festival was held from 7 to 19 May 1987 in film, 1987. The Palme d'Or went to the ''Under the Sun of Satan (film), Sous le soleil de Satan'' by Maurice Pialat, a choice which was considered "highly controversial" and the prize ...
.
* ''
Dialogues des Carmélites
' (''Dialogues of the Carmelites''), FP 159, is an opera in three acts, divided into twelve scenes with linking orchestral interludes, with music and libretto by Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 196 ...
'': in 1947, Bernanos had been hired to write the dialogue for a film screenplay, through Raymond-Léopold Bruckberger and the scenario writer Philippe Agostini, based on the
novella
A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...
''Die Letzte am Schafott'' by German novelist
Gertrud von Le Fort
The Baroness Gertrud von Le Fort (full name ''Gertrud Auguste Lina Elsbeth Mathilde Petrea Freiherr, Freiin von Le Fort''; 11 October 1876 – 1 November 1971) was a German writer of novels, poems and essays.
Life
Le Fort was born in the city ...
, about the 1794 execution of the
Carmelite Nuns of Compiègne. The screenplay was judged unsatisfactory at the time. Following Bernanos' death his literary executor, Albert Béguin, discovered the manuscript. To assist Bernanos' heirs, Béguin sought to have the work published, requesting permission from Baroness von Le Fort for publication. In January 1949 she agreed, gifting her portion of the royalties over to Bernanos' widow and children. However, the Baroness requested that Bernanos' play be given a different title from her novella.
[Gendre, Claude, 'The Literary Destiny of the Sixteen Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne and the Role of Emmet Lavery'. ''Renascence'', 48.1, pp 37-60 (Fall 1995).] Béguin chose ''Dialogues des Carmélites'', and the work was published in 1949. It was translated into German, published there in 1951 as ''Die begnadete Angst'' (''The Blessed Fear'') and first staged in
Zurich and
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
that year.
[Gendre, Claude, 'Dialogues des Carmélites: the historical background, literary destiny and genesis of the opera', from ''Francis Poulenc: Music, Art and Literature'' (Sidney Buckland and Myriam Chimènes, editors). Ashgate (Aldershot, UK), , p 287 (1999).] The French stage première took place in May 1952 at the
Théâtre Hébertot. The composer
Francis Poulenc
Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...
adapted Bernanos' work into an
opera of the same name, which was first performed at
La Scala Milan in 1957. A
film based on Bernanos' play and starring
Jeanne Moreau
Jeanne Moreau (; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017) was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française. Mo ...
was released in 1960.
References
Further reading
* von Balthasar, Hans Urs (2011). ''Bernanos: An Ecclesial Existence''. Ignatius Press.
* Blumenthal, Gerda (1965). ''The Poetic Imagination of Georges Bernanos: An Essay in Interpretation''. The Johns Hopkins Press.
* Braybrooke, Neville (1954). "Georges Bernanos," ''The Irish Monthly'', Vol. 83, No. 969, pp. 174–179.
* Bush, William (1969). ''Georges Bernanos''. Twayne Publishers.
* Field, Frank (1975). ''Three French Writers: Studies in the Rise of Communism and Fascism.''
* Hebblethwaite, Peter (1965). ''Bernanos, an Introduction''. London: Bowes and Bowes.
* Molnar, Thomas (1960)
''Bernanos: His Political Thought and Prophecy'' New York:
Sheed and Ward.
* Molnar, Thomas (1995)
Case of Georges Bernanos,"''Modern Age'' 38 (1), pp. 61–68.
* Noth, Ernst Erich (1949). "The Prophetism of Georges Bernanos," ''Yale French Studies'', No. 4, Literature and Ideas, pp. 105–119.
* O'Malley, Frank (1944). "The Evangelism of Georges Bernanos," ''The Review of Politics'', Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 403–421.
* Reck, Rima Drell (1965). "George Bernanos: A Novelist and His Art," ''The French Review'', Vol. 38, No. 5, pp. 619–629.
* Speaight, Robert (1973). ''Georges Bernanos: A Study of the Man and the Writer''. London: Collins & Harvill Press
ew York: Liveright, 1974
External links
*
English language biography(version in Archive.org)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernanos, Georges
1888 births
1948 deaths
Writers from Paris
20th-century French essayists
20th-century French male writers
20th-century French novelists
French male essayists
French male novelists
French military personnel of World War I
French monarchists
French people of the Spanish Civil War
French Roman Catholics
Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française winners
Légion d'honneur refusals
People affiliated with Action Française
Prix Femina winners
Roman Catholic writers
Christian novelists