Alphonse de Lamartine

Alphonse Marie Louise Prat de Lamartine (October 21, 1790 - February 28, 1869) was a French writer, poet and politician.

Related Topics:
October 21 - 1790 - February 28 - 1869 - French - Writer - Poet - Politician

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Born in Mâcon into French provincial nobility, he travelled during his youth, and in 1820 he married an Englishwoman, Maria Birch.

Related Topics:
Mâcon - 1820

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He is famous for his partly autobiographical poem, "Le Lac" ("The Lake"), which describes in retrospect the fervent love shared by a couple from the point of view of the bereaved man. Lamartine was masterly in his use of French poetic forms. He was one of very few French literary figures to combine his writing with a political career. Raised within Orthodox Christianity, Lamartine became a pantheist, writing Jocelyn and La Chute d'un ange. He wrote Histoire des Girondins in 1847 in praise of the Girondists.

Related Topics:
Autobiographical - Poem - Orthodox Christianity - Pantheist - 1847 - Girondists

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He worked for the French embassy in Italy from 1825 to 1828. In 1829, he was elected a member of the Académie française. He was elected a 'député' in 1833, and was briefly in charge of government during the turbulence of 1848. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from February 24, 1848 to May 11, 1848.

Related Topics:
Italy - 1825 - 1828 - 1829 - Académie française - 1833 - Turbulence of 1848 - Minister of Foreign Affairs - February 24 - 1848 - May 11

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During his term as a politician in the Second Republic of France, he led efforts that eventually led to the abolition of slavery, the death penalty, as well as the enshrinement of the right to work and the shortlived national workshop programs. A political idealist who supported democracy and pacifism, his moderate stance on most issues caused his followers to desert him. He was an unsuccessful candidate to the presidential election of December 10, 1848. He subsequently retired from politics and dedicated himself to literature.

Related Topics:
Second Republic - Abolition of slavery - Death penalty - Democracy - Pacifism - December 10

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He ended his life in poverty, something of a literary hack. He died in Paris.

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He is considered to be the first French romantic poet, and was acknowledged by Verlaine and the Symbolists as an important influence.

Related Topics:
Romantic - Verlaine - Symbolists

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