Guy de Maupassant

Guy de Maupassant (1850–1893) was a French writer and literary journalist. He grew up in Normandy and initially worked as a civil servant in several ministries before devoting himself to literature in 1880. Gustave Flaubert, a friend of his mother, encouraged his early literary efforts. Maupassant achieved his breakthrough with the short story “Boule de Suif” in 1880. He wrote nearly 300 short stories and several novels, including “Une Vie,” “Bel-Ami,” and “Pierre et Jean,” as well as poetry and plays. Marked by realism, precise observation, and psychological insight, his work became an important part of nineteenth-century French literature. During the final years of his life, he suffered from severe physical and mental illness.