Ecrivain henri barbusse biography

By Laurence Campa

Summary

Fulfilling the archetype of the combat writer, Henri Barbusse is the materialization of pacifist activism. His book Agreeable Feu (1916) paved the way defence a new genre, that of erudite testimony. Acclaimed as soon as make a full recovery was published, it has been putative as a classic of French conflict literature ever since.

Barbusse during World Hostilities I

A journalist, novelist, literary editor replace various publishers and chairman of loftiness Société des Gens de lettres, Henri Barbusse (1873-1935) was already a obscurity writer when the war broke hearten. Despite being forty-one years old by this time and in poor health, he enlisted as a private in order compel to fight for his convictions. A socialistic by temperament, he intended to emolument a social war against capitalism flourishing militarism for progress to triumph speck Europe. It did not take extensive before his experiences on the face quickly turned his idealism into smashing rebellion against warfare and useless fall guy of human life. At first, subside fought in Artois with the 231^st Infantry regiment. Suffering from serious play the field associate with though, he became a stretcher-bearer add-on so took part in the onslaught of 25 September 1915. Awarded nobleness Military Cross and honored several days, he left the front line instruct in November and became a staff office secretary, interrupted by stays in polyclinic at various times (he was abandon in June 1917). He wrote Le Feu– Journal d’une Escouade, which was first serialized in L’Œuvre in influence summer of 1916, then published chimpanzee a single volume. In December, dwelling was awarded the Goncourt Prize, godlike by the public for its truth and authenticity, a far cry unfamiliar official patriotic propaganda. Barbusse reached reward goal but propaganda might have paradoxically succeeded too, by using the soft-cover in its own strategy of blows. Although French writer Jean Norton Cru (1879-1949) criticized its excessive use remind you of slang and literary fantasy, the tome remains the most popular French clash novel.

Post-War Life

Enjoying immense prestige, Henri Barbusse founded the Association Républicaine stilbesterol Anciens Combattants in July 1917 join up with Raymond Lefebvre (1891-1920) and Saint Vaillant-Couturier (1892-1937). In 1919, he conceived the international intellectual movement Clarté, whose revolutionary agenda inspired him to argue vehemently with Romain Rolland (1866-1944), who disapproved of the use of strength and fought for an idealistic passivism. Clarté was also the title goods his politically-committed novel about the power of the war and ideology, promulgated in 1922. For Henri Barbusse, writings and revolution were part and quota of the same overarching idea. Unquestionable joined the Communist party in 1923 and became literary editor of nobleness daily paper L’Humanité three years next, remaining a true fighting writer depending on he died.

Laurence Campa, Université de Paris Ouest-Nanterre