author
Paul Claudel
1868–1955
A poet, playwright, and diplomat, he brought Catholic faith, dramatic intensity, and international experience together in some of modern French literature’s most distinctive works. His long career carried him from the stages of Paris to diplomatic posts in China, Japan, the United States, and Belgium.
1 Audiobook
La messe là-bas
by Paul Claudel
About the author
Born in Villeneuve-sur-Fère on August 6, 1868, Paul Claudel became one of France’s leading poets and dramatists. His early plays, including Tête d’Or and La Ville, helped establish his symbolic and highly musical dramatic style. A religious conversion at Notre-Dame de Paris on Christmas night in 1886 became a defining influence on his writing.
Alongside literature, Claudel pursued a diplomatic career for nearly forty years, serving in posts including New York, China, Japan, Washington, and Brussels. He was elected to the Académie française in 1946 and remained an important literary figure until his death in Paris on February 23, 1955. He was also the younger brother of sculptor Camille Claudel.