Stéphane Mallarmé

Stéphane Mallarmé

1842–1898

Stéphane Mallarmé (1842–1898) was a French poet and critic, a leading figure of Symbolism. He earned his living as an English teacher, and his Tuesday evening gatherings in his Paris flat drew writers, painters and musicians.

His poems, such as “Brise marine”, “L’Après-midi d’un faune” (which inspired Debussy’s prelude) and the sonnets “Le vierge, le vivace et le bel aujourd’hui” and “Le Tombeau d’Edgar Poe”, are famous for their difficulty and musicality. His late work Un coup de dés jamais n’abolira le hasard (1897) scattered words across the page and anticipated modern poetry.

Best-known poems

All poems (178)

A 14

B 5

C 4

D 5

E 5

F 3

H 5

L 60

M 7

O 2

P 11

Q 5

R 6

S 16

T 12

U 9

V 4

In Spanish 5