Simone de Beauvoir
January 9, 1908 –April 14, 1986
Political philosopher, Journalist, Novelist, Autobiographer, Essayist, Political activist
Lived 78 years
- Born in
- Paris
- Passed away in
- 14th arrondissement of Paris
Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir (9 January 1908 – 14 April 1986) was a French existentialist philosopher, writer, social theorist, and feminist activist. Though she did not consider herself a philosopher, nor was she considered one at the time of her death, she had a significant influence on both feminist existentialism and feminist theory.
Beauvoir wrote novels, essays, short stories, biographies, autobiographies, and monographs on philosophy, politics, and social issues. She was best known for her "trailblazing work in feminist philosophy", The Second Sex (1949), a detailed analysis of women's oppression and a foundational tract of contemporary feminism. She was also known for her novels, the most famous of which were She Came to Stay (1943) and The Mandarins (1954).
Her most enduring contribution to literature is her memoirs, notably the first volume, Mémoires d'une jeune fille rangée (1958). She received the 1954 Prix Goncourt, the 1975 Jerusalem Prize, and the 1978 Austrian State Prize for European Literature. She was also nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961, 1969 and 1973. In contemporary times, Beauvoir has been criticized for having hurtful romantic and sexual relationships with three of her former students, two of whom also had relationships with Sartre.
Notable works: The Mandarins, When Things of the Spirit Come First, Pyrrhus and Cineas, The Second Sex, She Came to Stay, Force of Circumstance Awards: Prix Goncourt, Jerusalem Prize, Austrian State Prize for European Literature, honorary doctorate of Concordia University, Benjamin E. Lippincott Award Education: University of Paris, Lycée Fénelon, Paris, Sorbonne, Catholic University of Paris
Source: Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_de_Beauvoir