Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (; 29 October 1882 – 31 January 1944) was a French

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others asp ...

essayist An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have been sub-classified as formal ...

, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between

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 ...

and

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 opposing ...

. His work is noted for its stylistic elegance and poetic fantasy. Giraudoux's dominant theme is the relationship between man and woman—or in some cases, between man and some unattainable ideal.

Biography

Giraudoux was born in Bellac, Haute-Vienne, where his father, Léger Giraudoux, worked for the

Ministry of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government ag ...

. Giraudoux studied at the Lycée Lakanal in Sceaux and upon graduation traveled extensively in Europe. After his return to France in 1910, he accepted a position with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With the outbreak of World War I, he served with distinction and in 1915 became the first writer ever to be awarded the wartime

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. He married in 1918 and in the subsequent inter-war period produced the majority of his writing. He first achieved literary success through his novels, notably ''

Siegfried et le Limousin ''Siegfried et le Limousin'' is a novel by Jean Giraudoux published in 1922 by Grasset. This novel is famous for having brought success to its author. In the story, Giraudoux explores the hostility between two warring countries, France and Germany ...

'' (1922) and ''Eglantine'' (1927). An ongoing collaboration with actor and theater director Louis Jouvet, beginning in 1928 with Jouvet's radical streamlining of ''Siegfried'' for the stage, stimulated his writing. But it is his plays that gained him international renown. He became well known in the English speaking world largely because of the award-winning adaptations of his plays by

Christopher Fry Christopher Fry (18 December 1907 – 30 June 2005) was an English poet and playwright. He is best known for his verse dramas, especially ''The Lady's Not for Burning'', which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s. Biograph ...

(''

Tiger at the Gates ''The Trojan War Will Not Take Place'' (french: La guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu) is a play written in 1935 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. In 1955 it was translated into English by Christopher Fry with the title ''Tiger at the Gates''. The ...

'') and

Maurice Valency Maurice Valency (22 March 1903 – 28 September 1996) was a playwright, author, critic, and popular professor of Comparative Literature at Columbia University, best known for his award-winning adaptations of plays by Jean Giraudoux and Friedric ...

(''

The Madwoman of Chaillot ''The Madwoman of Chaillot'' (french: La Folle de Chaillot) is a play, a poetic satire, by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, written in 1943 and first performed in 1945, after his death. The play is in two acts. The story concerns an eccentric woma ...

'', '' Ondine'', '' The Enchanted'', ''

The Apollo of Bellac ''The Apollo of Bellac'' (French title: ''L'Apollon de Bellac'' or ''L'Apollon de Marsac'') is a comedic one-act play written in 1942 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. Plot summary The play is set in the reception room of the International Bur ...

''). Giraudoux served as a juror with

Florence Meyer Blumenthal Florence Meyer Blumenthal (1875–1930) was an American philanthropist who founded the ''Fondation franco-américaine Florence Blumenthal (Franco-American Florence Blumenthal Foundation),'' which awarded the Prix Blumenthal from 1919-1954 to paint ...

in awarding the

Prix Blumenthal The Prix Blumenthal (or ''Blumenthal Prize'') was a grant or stipend awarded through the philanthropy of Florence Meyer Blumenthal (1875–1930) – and the foundation she created, ''Fondation franco-américaine Florence Blumenthal (Franco-Amer ...

, a grant given between 1919 and 1954 to painters, sculptors, decorators, engravers, writers, and musicians. In politics he was affiliated with the Radical Party, served in the cabinet of

Édouard Herriot Édouard Marie Herriot (; 5 July 1872 – 26 March 1957) was a French Radical politician of the Third Republic who served three times as Prime Minister (1924–1925; 1926; 1932) and twice as President of the Chamber of Deputies. He led the f ...

in 1932, and was appointed as Minister of Information by

Édouard Daladier Édouard Daladier (; 18 June 1884 – 10 October 1970) was a French Radical-Socialist (centre-left) politician, and the Prime Minister of France who signed the Munich Agreement before the outbreak of World War II. Daladier was born in Carpe ...

in 1939. He is buried in the

Cimetière de Passy Passy Cemetery (french: Cimetière de Passy) is a small cemetery in Passy, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. History The current cemetery replaced the old cemetery (''l'ancien cimetière communal de Passy'', located on Rue Lekain), w ...

in Paris.New York Times; February 1, 1944
Jean Giraudoux obituary.

Works

Theatrical productions

* '' Siegfried'' (1928, premiere at the Comédie des Champs-Élysées) * ''

Amphitryon 38 ''Amphitryon 38'' is a play written in 1929 by the French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, the number in the title being Giraudoux's whimsical approximation of how many times the story had been told on stage previously. Original productions ''Amphitryon ...

'' (1929 premiere, Comédie des Champs-Élysées) * '' Judith'' (1931,

Théâtre Pigalle The Théâtre Pigalle was a theatre in Paris, located in the rue Pigalle in the ninth ''arrondissement''. History Opened on June 20, 1929, financed by Philippe de Rothschild on the estate of his father Henri de Rothschild, the Rothschilds' amb ...

) * '' The Enchanted'' (1933, Comédie des Champs-Élysées) * '' Tessa'' (1934,

Théâtre de l'Athénée The Théâtre de l'Athénée is a theatre at 7 rue Boudreau, in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Renovated in 1996 and classified a historical monument, the Athénée inherits an artistic tradition marked by the figure of Louis Jouvet who direc ...

) * '' Supplément au voyage de Cook'' (1935, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * ''

The Trojan War Will Not Take Place ''The Trojan War Will Not Take Place'' (french: La guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu) is a play written in 1935 by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. In 1955 it was translated into English by Christopher Fry with the title ''Tiger at the Gates''. The ...

'' (1935, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * '' Electra'' (1937, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * '' L'Impromptu de Paris'' (1937, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * '' Song of Songs'' (1938,

Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...

) * '' Ondine'' (1939, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * ''

'' (1942,

Teatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro) The Theatro Municipal ("Municipal Theater") is an opera house in the Centro district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Built in the early twentieth century, it is considered to be one of the most beautiful and important theaters in the country. The b ...

) * '' Sodom and Gomorrah'' (1943,

Théâtre Hébertot Théâtre Hébertot () is a theatre at 78, boulevard des Batignolles, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, France. History The theatre, completed in 1838 and opening as the Théâtre des Batignolles, was later renamed Théâtre des Arts in 190 ...

) * ''

'' (1945, Théâtre de l'Athénée) * ''

Duel of Angels '' Duel of Angels '' (1963) is an English-language adaptation by Christopher Fry of the play ''Pour Lucrèce'' (1944) by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux. The play is based on the story of Lucretia, the virtuous Roman housewife who was raped and ...

(Pour Lucrèce)'' (1953,

Théâtre Marigny The Théâtre Marigny is a theatre in Paris, situated near the junction of the Champs-Élysées and the Avenue Marigny in the 8th arrondissement. It was originally built to designs of the architect Charles Garnier for the display of a panora ...

) * '' Les Gracques'' (unfinished; published 1958)

Films

* ''The Duchess of Langeais'' (1942), adaptation and dialogue * '' Angels of the Streets'' (1943), screenplay

Publications

* ''Provinciales'' (1909) * ''L'École des indifférents'' (1911) * ''Lectures pour une ombre'' (1917) * ''Simon le Pathétique'' (1918) * ''L'Adieu à la guerre'' (1919) Grasset * ''Elpénor'' (1919) * ''Amica America'' (1919) * ''Adorable Clio'' (1920) * ''Suzanne et le Pacifique'' (1921) * ''

'' (1922) * ''Juliette au pays des hommes'' (1924) * ''Bella'' (1926) * ''Églantine'' (1927) * ''Aventures de Jérôme Bardini'' (1930) * ''La France sentimentale'' (1932) * '' Combat avec l'ange '' (1934) * ''Choix des élues'' (1939) * '' Pleins pouvoirs'' (1939) * ''Armistice à Bordeaux'' (1945) * ''Sans pouvoirs'' (1946) * ''La Menteuse'' (1958)

English-language collections

* Giraudoux, Jean (1958),'' Four Plays'', Adapted by Maurice Valency. New York: Hill and Wang, Inc
OCLC 807008
olume 1: ''Ondine, Enchanted, Madwoman of Challot, Apollo of Bellac''* Giraudoux, Jean (1964),'' Three Plays, vol. 2'', Translated by Phyllis La Farge and Peter H. Judd. New York: Hill and Wang
OCLC 751419
olume 2: ''Siegfried, Amphitryon 38, Electra'' * Giraudoux, Jean (1963),'' Three Plays'', Translated by Christopher Fry. New York: Oxford University Press
OCLC 21419365
olume I: ''Tiger at the Gates; Duel of Angels; Judith''* Giraudoux, Jean (1967), ''Plays, vol. 2'', Translated by Roger Gellert. London: Oxford University Press
OCLC 656767230
'Amphitryon; Intermezzo; Ondine''

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Giraudoux, Jean 1882 births 1944 deaths 20th-century French essayists 20th-century French diplomats 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights 20th-century French novelists Burials at Passy Cemetery Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur École Normale Supérieure alumni French fantasy writers Lycée Lakanal alumni People from Haute-Vienne Prix Blumenthal French male novelists 20th-century French male writers