author
Emile Bergerat
1845–1923
A lively figure in French letters, this poet, playwright, and essayist mixed wit, satire, and theatrical flair across a long career. Writing under names like Caliban and Ariel, he became especially known for his sharp newspaper chronicles as well as his stage work.
1 Audiobook
Contes de Caliban
by Emile Bergerat
About the author
Born in Paris on April 29, 1845, Émile Bergerat was a French poet, playwright, essayist, and journalist. He moved easily between literature and the press, and he also wrote under several pseudonyms, including Caliban, Ariel, and l'Homme masqué.
Bergerat built a reputation as a witty, energetic man of letters. He wrote for major newspapers, including Le Figaro, where his chronicle pieces helped make him widely known, and he also published plays, poems, and essays. His work was often noted for its lively tone and taste for satire.
He was closely connected to the literary world of his time through both his own career and his family ties: he was the son-in-law of the writer Théophile Gautier. Bergerat died in Neuilly-sur-Seine on October 13, 1923, leaving behind the image of a versatile and spirited presence in late 19th-century French literature.