Amandine bourgeois biography of george

French author signal over 100 novels, plays, leading essays who gained literary illustriousness during her lifetime and barbarity for her unconventional lifestyle. Fame variations: Amandine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin; Mme Dudevant. Born Amandine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin in Town, France, on July 1, 1804; died at Nohant (Berry), Writer, on June 8, 1876; chick of Maurice Dupin de Francueil and Antoinette-Sophie-Victoire Delaborde; married Mogul Casimir Dudevant, on September 17, 1822 (died March 1871); children: Maurice (b.

1823); (with Stéphane Ajasson de Grandsagne) Solange Sand.

Left Nohant for Paris (January 4, 1831); had affair with King de Musset (summer 1833); filed for legal separation from Dudevant (1836); had affair with Frédéric Chopin (1833–1847); wrote plays, tracts, and open letters supporting group change (1848); published Histoire profession ma Vie (1854–55).

Aurore Dupin Dudevant, also known as George Chafe, was a descendant of dinky king of Poland on affiliate father's side and of unmixed Parisian bird-seller on her mother's.

Her critics vilified her brand a loose woman, a governmental radical, and a "lioness" who devoured her numerous lovers. She further shocked society by binding as a man and breathing cigars. But to her admirers, including the French literary sole, she was praised for congregate prodigious production of novels added plays, and as the precursor of the genre of country, regional literature in France.

Arrive independent, free-thinking woman, Sand was an anomaly, even among grassy, worldly Parisian society. She was described as a "thinking bosom," and her androgynous lifestyle avowed her duality—a "man's mind" take precedence a woman's sensitivity and desires.

She was born Amandine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin suspend Paris, on July 1, 1804, the daughter of Maurice Dupin and Sophie Delaborde Dupin .

The union of her parents was, in the eyes clamour her paternal grandmother, an hate. Her plans to annul glory marriage were abandoned, however, while in the manner tha she saw her infant granddaughter, but she persisted in insulting her "gutter-snipe" daughter-in-law Sophie. Sustenance Maurice Dupin died in top-notch riding accident in 1808, rectitude elder Mme Dupin won canonical custody of Sand.

Sophie coupled with Aurore had been living respect Mme Dupin at her state estate of Nohant in rectitude Berry region, but friction halfway the Mesdames Dupin led Sophie to return to Paris. Witching, but uneducated, the young woman led a lifestyle that was deemed "debauched and wanton" moisten Sand's grandmother-guardian. Proud of weaken ancestry and social class, picture elder Mme Dupin resolved stamp out mold and educate Aurore hit down the role of the genteel heiress she was.

Maurice Dupin (a direct descendant of Augustus decency Strong, king of Poland) was an officer in Napoleon's legions when he met Sophie urgency Italy; she was the concubine of an aging general spreadsheet mother of an illegitimate maid, Caroline.

Maurice, too, had representative illegitimate child, a son Hippolyte Chatiron, age five, who fleeting at Nohant. Hippolyte and Aurore were educated by their father's tutor, Deschartres, who believed exact academic training was essential relate to both males and females: Established, Greek, math, history, literature, meticulous science prepared his pupils calculate function in the secular existence.

Formal religious instruction was rejected since both Mme Dupin gift Deschartres were progressive free-thinkers. Shadowing Rousseau's dictum of educating "the whole child," Aurore played of one`s own accord with the local peasant posterity, learned to ride (wearing request and boots), and observed nature

through exploration, not dull textbooks.

Parallel age 13, Sand was unhesitating and often rebellious, and an added grandmother made arrangements for torment to attend a convent college in Paris. An excellent adherent, Aurore embraced religion and proclaimed her intention of becoming dialect trig nun. Grandmother Dupin put sketch end to such talk bear removed her from school cage up April 1820.

Life at Nohant was pleasant for Aurore.

A piggish reader (of everything from Philosopher to Benjamin Franklin) and excellent skilled rider, she was legalized a great deal of selfdetermination. However, when Mme Dupin dull in December 1821, Aurore was again the center of spruce family dispute between her father's relatives and her mother. Sophie won the custody battle, impressive Aurore moved to Paris, swivel she was often bored take up restless.

On a visit exempt friends of her father in effect Paris, Aurore met her tomorrow husband.

At age 18, as beneficiary to Nohant and an suppose house in Paris, Sand was not without prospects, despite attendant mother's lower-class origins. Casimir Dudevant, nine years her senior, was the illegitimate son of Magnate Dudevant and heir to her majesty lands and money.

Preparing comprise study law after resigning let alone the military, Casimir was dinky stolid and robust young bloke. Aurore was not averse endure him or to the solution of marriage; marriage based concentration love and mutual respect was the romantic ideal to which Aurore clung all her continuance but never realized. The matrimony contract was signed in Honoured 1822, and less than organized month later they were wedded conjugal.

Aurore's inheritance was reserved energy her, but her husband moderate and managed it, according like the dictates of French assemblage. Aurore would spend much tip off her life in litigation let fall overturn her husband's rights regard her properties. Her struggle in lieu of economic independence provided a recurring theme in her novels.

What spruce up heart of gold she had!

What absence of anything inconsequential, mean or insincere! What natty brave man she was, coupled with what a good woman!

—Ivan Turgenev

The young couple settled in Nohant and were actively involved socially and politically in their district of Berry. In June 1823, their son Maurice was native in Paris.

Severe depression overcast Sand's joy of motherhood, on the other hand this was largely dispelled make sure of a long trip to integrity Pyrenees with Casimir and a handful friends. Reciprocal love, the raison d'кtre of a happy marriage, difficult to understand not manifested itself according undulation Aurore's hopes or expectations.

Smooth took a lover, her minority friend Stéphane Ajasson de Grandsagne. Less than a year ulterior a daughter, Solange, was foaled. Throughout her life, Aurore searched for love and sexual satisfaction, and for an outlet pick up her energy and imagination; pass for George Sand, she would make personal and professional satisfaction celebrated an independence unusual for in return time.

Aurore Dudevant became organized writer, not by accident on the other hand by choice.

Two incidents, quite dissimilar, changed Aurore's life, and put your feet up public identity. In July 1830, she met and fell confine love with Jules Sandeau, adroit 19-year-old from Berry, a scholar in Paris. A few months later, she found a indication written by Casimir, which was to be opened on government death.

The letter detailed climax wife's failings, listing his grievances against her. Sand confronted Casimir and announced her intention denigration live in Paris for percentage of each year. Casimir grand to this and to differentiation annual allowance. In January 1831, she left Nohant, and unite husband and children.

By Apr, she and Jules Sandeau esoteric published an article in La Revue de Paris under honesty name J. Sand; shortly after that, they collaborated on a account, Rose et Blanche, again sign-language J. Sand. Free from district and marital restrictions, Aurore ephemeral openly with Sandeau.

Sand had extremely written a novel, Aimée, tend which she needed a house.

She approached the editor cosy up Le Figaro who promptly excluded the work and advised minder to make children, not books. However, recognizing a nascent faculty, Henri de Latouche suggested saunter she write articles for sovereignty newspaper using the pen-name Jules Sand. A year later (1832), Aurore had two novels, Indiana and Valentine, published under spick nom de plume of improve choice: George Sand was clan.

Favorably reviewed, Indiana made afflict name in the sophisticated, emulous literary circles of Paris. Neither novel was a collaborative have a go, for Sand had broken be regarding Sandeau who lacked her line of work and drive and envied squash up production. Sand commonly wrote 20-to-40 pages each day, working cause the collapse of near midnight to early morning.

Sand's heterodox lifestyle generated as still comment as did her yearlong publications.

In her love rationale, which have been labeled "serial monogamy," Sand was often birth pursuer rather than the follow. When author and critic Advance Merimée proved to be sexually inadequate, Sand promptly ended their liaison. With none of will not hear of lovers was Sand the conventional "kept woman." Conversely, her lovers were "kept men" who fleeting with her or in unadorned separate residence, often at barren expense.

According to Donna Dickenson , Sand considered sex artless and that a woman's coitus drive was the same laugh a man's. What was virtually shocking, however, was Sand's artlessness and honesty about sex: she condemned the double standard be first defied social convention. Was Sandpaper a feminist and/or a open woman? She had open passion affairs, achieved economic independence, dress up as a man, and burn in public.

But her prospect of women's roles did scream include participation in public being (the masculine sphere), nor outspoken she support the suffragist goals of the feminists. Sand's poised and writings are indicative bargain this dichotomy.

George Sand's reputation pass for a writer was assured disconnect the publication of Lélia (1833), although it received mixed reviews.

Calling attention to the uneven status of women in touring company, Sand was accused of championship free love and other bluntly dangerous ideas. The author gleam critic Alfred de Musset wrote a favorable review of honourableness book; the same year proscribed (age 22) and Sand became lovers. With an advance dance her next novel, the duo left for a holiday increase Italy.

Relations deteriorated when Guts fell ill and Musset amusing himself with other women. Surmount infidelity and unconcern for Sand's welfare hurt her. But while in the manner tha Musset contracted a venereal ailment and typhoid fever, Sand tend him and called in nifty doctor. Despite her own pathetic health and caring for Author, she produced two novels significant a series of articles linctus in Venice.

After a lovers' quarrel, Musset returned to Town. Sand and the doctor became lovers.

On her return to Town, Sand and Musset reconciled. Other half apartment on the quai Malaquais was the scene of untainted orderly family life—it included Writer and Sand's two children—and splendid gathering-place for Parisian literati. Column seldom, if ever, attended, which can be explained by Sand's remarks in her Histoire turn a blind eye to ma Vie: "With very exceptions I cannot stand cohort for long….

women are as a rule nervous, anxious creatures…. I thence prefer men to women increase in intensity I say this without malice." Sand's turbulent affair with Poet lasted only two years (1833–35), but it provided materials add to several novels, notably Elle thorough Lui (1858).

Relations with Casimir besides caused Sand problems.

She at an earlier time her husband had agreed give it some thought Sand would receive control make famous Nohant in late 1835 obtain custody of Solange, while Casimir was awarded the investment villa in Paris. When Casimir attempted to alter the agreement, Guts was furious and tore concerning the document. To protect reject rights (which were few misstep French law), she consulted lawyers Gabriel Planet and Michel olive Bourges, liberal republican activists cause the collapse of whom Sand became aware provision current French socialist thought.

Like that which Casimir struck his wife standing threatened to shoot her, Daring left Nohant and filed daily legal separation (divorce was shameful in France). She won become emaciated case. Separation was granted, Nohant was hers, and she was awarded custody of Solange. Casimir received the investment house increase in intensity joint custody of Maurice.

Even unsatisfied, Casimir appealed the work out. The final judgment in say publicly court at Bourges ended burst a vote by the book of 5 to 5. Bare opinion rallied around Sand, arena the court found in cook favor. She was free.

No misgiving her experiences, an unhappy wedlock and having to fight ask for her own properties, affected team up ideas on women's inferior rank in society.

Indeed, Casimir was able to live openly make contact with his housekeeper and their girl at the Dudevant estate curiosity Guillery in Berry without incurring public censure. Sand and contain novels, on the other inspire, were declared threats to moralness. Despite her miserable marriage mount frequent clashes with her lay by or in, Sand never turned the family tree against their father though they began using Sand as splendid surname after 1841.

George Nerve was not interested in Casimir's life at Guillery, except importance it affected her children's forthright to their father's estate. Loss her investment house to Casimir was not as important detect her as retaining her land house in Nohant. Land captain local ties meant a and over deal to Sand. To influence local peasants, she was nobleness respected and generous grande lady of Nohant.

However, income cheat her writing never quite fall down her financial obligations: Nohant pole its staff of servants, circlet apartments in Paris, and expansive travel consumed much of lose control resources.

She also supported various lovers and her children into absorption old age, paid for penetrate nephew's education, and provided excellent substantial dowry for her chick and a poor relative.

Store fed over 40 local country bumpkin families, a gesture that endeared her to her neighbors.

Family lecturer financial problems did not meddle with Sand's prodigious literary shop or with her love contact. She pursued a reluctant Michel de Bourges until he in the end succumbed, but their affair was shortlived. Though he failed grip convert Sand to his cardinal socialist views, they shared dinky common commitment to establishing a- republic in France.

Brief sensual interludes with an actor standing a playwright ended abruptly like that which Sand met the Polish doer Frédéric Chopin at a friend's salon in Paris. Sand's liveliness was seemingly inexhaustible; she wrote every day, frequently entertained visitors at Nohant (Honoré Balzac, Franz Liszt and his mistress Marie d'Agoult , who wrote make a mistake the pseudonym Daniel Stern, survive Gustave Flaubert, among others), reserved a residence in Paris, elitist engaged in time-consuming sexual doings.

All the while she booked up a semblance of kinship life for her children. Amplify 1837 alone, Sand had fivesome works published, looked after accompaniment sick mother (who died mosey August), and traveled to Gascony to recover her daughter whom Casimir had kidnapped.

Sand met Pianist in Marie d'Agoult's salon come to terms with November 1836.

He appeared break off unlikely candidate for a adore affair. Weak, snobbish, melancholic, very last prissy, Chopin presented a not much contrast to the vigorous, cigar-smoking Sand who needed a discount to arouse her interest weigh down a man. The timid Stake was such a challenge. Valour courted Chopin with her general determination.

The lovers spent influence winter in Majorca with Sand's children. Chopin, suffering from tb, required constant care, and distinction primitive conditions on the isle exhausted the normally dynamic Boldness. She nursed him, revised predispose novel (Lélia), and finished recourse. From Major-ca, the "family" attacked on to Marseille and in the long run settled down at Nohant update mid-1839.

Chopin, ever cognizant blond social decorum, acted the detach of a proper houseguest. Grit was addressed as Mme Dudevant with the formal vous. Ditch autumn, the lovers took have common ground apartments in Paris. Passion difficult to understand vanished, and Sand's maternal predilections replaced their former bond.

Sand's frolic Cosima, starring Marie Dorval , was produced in Paris dynasty 1840.

The audience hissed most important the reviewers panned it. Abaft seven performances, the play done, and Sand was hurt, unspeakably and financially. But her worry in socialism provided new money for her work. To produce about social change through bond writing became her goal. She and Pierre Leroux founded spiffy tidy up socialist newspaper which soon folded; two years later, a be like venture also proved unsuccessful.

Communist themes dominated her novels go for a time, but they sincere not sell well, and Sand's publisher advised her to come back to the topics that locked away made her famous.

Sand's life spin more and more around Nohant rather than Paris. Writers snowball artists, family and friends built a lively milieu for ride out creative energies.

Her son Maurice was a rather passive individual; he loved his non-conformist colloquial but not her Polish aficionado whom Sand also "mothered." Solange, on the other hand, clashed with Sand and created conflict in the household. A enormous, stalwart girl, intelligent and musically gifted, she resented her mother's attention and generosity to Augustine Brault , a poor matronly relative.

Solange's marriage in 1847 to an uncouth, prodigal sculpturer, Auguste Clésinger, was a hazard. When Clésinger struck Sand close in anger, she ordered them touch leave Nohant. Chopin had unhinged with Solange, creating a terminal break with Sand. When blooper died in 1849, she was unmoved. Years later, she obtained her letters to Chopin shaft destroyed them.

The Sand-Chopin enjoy story has provoked much criticism. George Sand as "man-eater," likewise a devourer of weak, susceptible creatures, entered into legend. On the run is true that Sand not in the least remained friends with rejected lovers, but she never maligned them either. To her detractors, Sand's blatant display of female drive and open defiance of public convention aroused public hostility, smooth in "enlightened" Paris.

All attention was focused on that city encompass early 1848.

The overthrow have a high regard for the monarchy and the chance of creating a republic thespian Sand to the capital. Owing to unofficial minister of propaganda, she wrote plays, tracts, and unbolted letters supporting social change, craving to influence the revolutionary forefront. Her article on revolution was denounced as inflammatory and let somebody see causing a serious riot hill Paris.

Approached by a reformer group to run for smart seat in the Assembly, Backbone refused, claiming that politics was not a woman's place, sports ground economic independence was essential heretofore women should even be authorized to vote. Marriage and kith and kin constituted a woman's sphere. Scrawl to suffragists, Sand spoke precision "your sex," not "our sex." To Sand, men and unit possessed different natures, respectively ruled by the head and nobleness heart, by reason and judgment.

According to Dickenson, the query then is, how did Put on record identify herself? Was she disorderly about her own identity? Upfront her androgyny derive from will not hear of dislike of women, her choice for men? In her unofficial journal, Sand assumes the forceful gender in referring to living soul, as she did in congregate professional writings.

Indeed, one brawniness conclude that George Sand-Mme Dudevant was her creation of clever single entity from the disclose man-private woman dichotomy she force as real.

Disillusioned by the green riots and the flaccid egalitarian leadership, Sand left Paris. She was through with politics; in spite of that, she traveled to Paris adjust 1851, to meet with Chief Napoleon III on behalf holdup her imprisoned and exiled politician friends.

Between 1849 and 1856, many of her plays were staged in Paris, not repeated successfully. François le Champi, doomed in the Berry dialect momentous a peasant as hero, was a great hit. Having throwaway her socialist themes, Sand apophthegm her work sell well soon again. She continued to compose novels and plays until socialize death, often incurring the rage of Catholic conservatives and honourableness French government.

Her fame person in charge talent prompted Sainte-Beuve to put forward Sand for the Prix Gobert, worth 20,000 francs. The 40 men of the Académie Française refused to grant the adore to Sand. Empress Eugénie (wife of the now Emperor Cards III) then offered a wish for sum to Sand who declined the offer. Similarly when contain effort was launched to own Sand elected to the Académie, she declined the "honor."

Meanwhile, Sand's personal life continued to pivot around her son Maurice, who married a woman whom Valour loved, and her daughter Solange, who separated from her partner in 1852 and moved effectively Nohant.

Sand also had unblended new lover, after two small, banal affairs. Alexandre Manceau was an engraver, 13 years former than Sand, who remained true to her until he on top form 15 years later. He extremely served as manager of Nohant, allowing Sand to concentrate build up writing and her grandchildren. She was content with Manceau disapproval Nohant, but Maurice, who welcome to assume control of fulfil inheritance and manage his funds, ordered Manceau to leave.

Fearlessness chose to leave too. They took a small house not far off Paris and also rented keen studio in the city she wrote and nursed rectitude tubercular Manceau. When he dreary, a 61-year-old Sand, alone take over the first time, was pacify. Success with her plays (Sarah Bernhardt starred in The Other) and her literary friendships dogged her residence; she spent picture winter months in Paris give orders to summers at Nohant, welcoming followers such as Flaubert, Ivan Writer, and Alexander Dumas fils.

In Could 1876, while working on glory second volume of Tales friendly a Grandmother, Sand suffered chomp through severe gastric distress.

Minor operation and medication were ineffective, streak on June 8, George Bravery died at Nohant. Two generation later, she was buried coerce the garden of the capital she loved and fought for this reason long to possess. George Dirt was one of the most elevated Romantic writers of her 100, but after she died inclusion reputation as a writer was overshadowed by the infamy disagree with her exploits.

Whether she was a liberated woman, a libber, a socialist, cannot obscure loftiness fact that George Sand appropriate accolades as one of France's finest Romantic writers.

sources:

Dickenson, Donna. George Sand: A Brave Man—The Escalate Womanly Woman. Oxford: Berg, 1988.

Jordan, Ruth. George Sand: A Biography. London: Constable, 1976.

Powell, David Trim.

George Sand. Boston, Twayne, 1990.

suggested reading:

Barry, Joseph. Infamous Women: Honourableness Life of George Sand. Pleasure garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1977.

Cate, Phytologist. George Sand: A Biography. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1975.

Gerson, Noel Uncoordinated.

George Sand: A Biography demonstration the First Modern Liberated Woman. London: Robert Hale, 1973.

Jack, Belinda. A Woman's Life Writ Large. NY: Knopf, 2000.

Maurois, André. Lélia: The Life of George Sand. Trans. by Gerard Hopkins. NY: Penguin, 1977.

Toesca, Maurice.

The Overpower George Sand. Trans. by Irene Beeson. London: Dennis Dobson, 1947.

JeanneA.Ojala , Professor of History, Doctrine of Utah, Salt Lake Store, Utah