Maupassant biography

Guy de Maupassant was a French naturalistic writer, considered by some to be one of the best short story writers ever. Maupassant's independent, intelligent mother took custody of both sons and personally educated them in great literature from a young age. As an adolescent, Maupassant was sent to be educated at a small seminary at Yvetot.

He passed his baccalaureate and began studying law in Paris in His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Franco-German War, for which Maupassant, at the age of 20, volunteered. In he returned to his law studies and, with the help of his father, he worked successfully in the Ministry of Marine and the Ministry of Public Instruction.

Because Maupassant's mother's sister was good friends with Gustave Flaubert, she encouraged Flaubert to look after Maupassant while he lived in Paris. The artists loved to go boating together, especially in the company of prostitutes. Throughout the decade, Maupassant wrote novels, travel books, verse, and over short stories.

During this time, Maupassant also wrote under the guise of a number of pen names. His stories are generally objective, everyday, and often comedic, though some breach the topics of madness and suicide. This is likely related to the fact that, beginning in his 20s, he suffered from syphilis, which he refused to treat and which began to cause deterioration of his mental health.

In , Maupassant's brother, who also had syphilis, suddenly became violently psychotic and died the next year.

Guy de maupassant wife

This badly effected Maupassant. In , Maupassant attempted suicide by cutting his throat and was taken to a private asylum. He died there in , penning his own epitaph: "I have coveted everything and taken pleasure in nothing.