Stéphane Mallarmé

Born in Paris on March 18, 1842, Stéphane Mallarmé became one of the central figures of French Symbolism. He worked for much of his life as a teacher of English while building a reputation as a poet and critic whose writing was daring, compressed, and often deliberately elusive.

His poems aimed less to describe the world directly than to suggest it through sound, rhythm, and image. Among his best-known works are L’Après-midi d’un faune and the late experiment Un Coup de dés, a poem famous for its unusual layout on the page. His writing helped open the way for major 20th-century movements in literature and art.

Mallarmé also became an important presence in Paris literary life through his Tuesday evening gatherings, which drew writers, artists, and musicians. He died on September 9, 1898, near Fontainebleau, but his influence has lasted far beyond his own era.