Nobel Prize in Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 11 (1911) Winner
Maurice Maeterlinck
モーリス・メーテルリンク
Maurice Maeterlinck
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1862-08-29 （Ghent, Belgium）
- Died
- 1949-05-06 （Nice, France） age 86
- Nationality
- Belgian
- Languages
- French, Dutch
- Residence History
- Ghent (birth) → Passy (Paris) → Grasse, south of France → Nice (long-term residence; died) → Monte Estoril, Portugal (wartime refuge) → United States (visits/work)
Career
- Occupations
- Playwright, Poet, Essayist
- Active Years
- 1889-1949
- Affiliations
- La Jeune Belgique, PEN International
- Memberships
- PEN International
- Influenced By
- Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, Charles van Lerberghe, Symbolist movement
- Influenced
- 20th-century modern dramatists (influence on modern theatre), Claude Debussy (through opera Pelléas et Mélisande), Later playwrights (influenced reception of figures such as Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Ghent | Faculty of Law | — | 法学位 | ～1885 | Belgium |
University of Ghent
Faculty of Law
Degree:
法学位
Period:
～1885
Year of Graduation:
1885
Country:
Belgium
Studied law at his father's insistence; later pursued literary career
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Nobel Prize in Literature | — | — | Swedish Academy | 受賞 |
| 1903 | Triennial Prize for Dramatic Literature | — | — | Belgian government | 受賞 |
| 1920 | Order of Leopold, Grand Cordon | — | — | Kingdom of Belgium | 授与 |
| 1948 | Medal for the French Language | — | — | French Academy | 授与 |
Nobel Prize in Literature
1911
Organization:
Swedish Academy
Result:
受賞
Triennial Prize for Dramatic Literature
1903
Organization:
Belgian government
Result:
受賞
Order of Leopold, Grand Cordon
1920
Organization:
Kingdom of Belgium
Result:
授与
Medal for the French Language
1948
Organization:
French Academy
Result:
授与
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Intruder (L'Intruse)
1890 Drama (Symbolist short play)Depicts a family awaiting death at a bedside; a Symbolist drama focusing on silence and fate.
deathfatesilence
The Blind (Les Aveugles)
1890 Drama (Symbolist)An allegorical play about a group of blind people lost in darkness, exploring existence and anxiety.
existenceisolationanxiety
Adaptations
- [Opera] Ślepcy (chamber opera)
Pelléas and Mélisande
1893 Drama (Symbolist)A fragile, mysterious drama of love and tragedy; a Symbolist play that inspired many composers.
tragedylovefatemystery
Adaptations
- [Opera] Pelléas et Mélisande (opera by Claude Debussy) (1902)
- [Orchestral suite / incidental music] Incidental music by Fauré, Sibelius, etc. (1898)
The Blue Bird (L'Oiseau bleu)
1908 Fairy-play / Fantasy dramaA fairy-tale play about a quest for happiness; an internationally popular work.
search for happinessfableimagination
Adaptations
- [Incidental music / opera] Musical settings by various composers (1908)
The Life of the Bee (La Vie des abeilles)
1901 Essay / Natural historyAn observational, essayistic account of bee society and behavior; a widely read popular natural history.
natural observationcommunityethics
Translations
- The Life of the Bee (English translation)
The Treasure of the Humble (Le Trésor des humbles)
1896 Essays / ReflectionsA collection of short essays and reflections, including writings on the tragic in daily life.
stillnesstragicmeditation
Bibliography
- Princess Maleine (La Princesse Maleine)
- The Intruder (L'Intruse)
- The Blind (Les Aveugles)
- Pelléas and Mélisande
- The Blue Bird (L'Oiseau bleu)
- The Life of the Bee (La Vie des abeilles)
- The Life of Termites (La Vie des termites)
Adaptations
- Multiple stage productions, film adaptations and musical works based on The Blue Bird
- Pelléas et Mélisande inspired Debussy's opera and numerous musical works
Translations by Author
- Translations from Flemish into French (e.g., Ruusbroec)
- Translation/adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth for performance
Translations of Works
- English translation of The Life of the Bee
- The Blue Bird translated into multiple languages (English, German, etc.)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Symbolist, poetic and meditative proseStatic drama (drama of stillness)
- Recurring Motifs
- deathfatesilencefairy-tale and fable motifsnatural observation (insects, nature)
Health
-
Neurasthenia1906頃（数年）Depression and a period of writer's block; temporary decline in creative productivity
Legacy
A leading Symbolist writer of the early 20th century who articulated the notion of 'static drama'. His 1911 Nobel Prize brought international recognition, though later plagiarism controversies complicated his reputation. His works have continued influence in theatre, music and children's literature.
Academic Societies
- French Academy
Archives
- Library of Congress (catalogue records and holdings)
- Theatre archives and university libraries internationally
In Popular Culture
- 2008 commemorative coin featuring Maurice Maeterlinck
- Numerous films, stage productions and musical works based on The Blue Bird
Quotes
-
"in appreciation of his many-sided literary activities, and especially of his dramatic works, which are distinguished by a wealth of imagination and by a poetic fancy..."
Source: Nobel Prize citation (Swedish Academy), 1911 (1911)
Trivia
- In 1932 he was granted the title of Count by the King of the Belgians but did not complete required formalities to be incorporated into the nobility.
- His 1926 book The Life of Termites generated accusations of plagiarism from Eugène Marais.
- He rented a Benedictine abbey to convalesce and helped save it from industrial conversion.
- He had a long relationship with the singer-actress Georgette Leblanc (1895–1918) and married Renée Dahon in 1919.
- Renée Dahon suffered a stillbirth in 1925.