Prévert, Jacques (1900-1977), was probably the most popular French poet of the mid-1900’s. His popularity resulted almost entirely from one volume, Paroles (Spoken Words), which became an immediate best seller when it appeared in 1946. Prévert’s poems are rich in the clever use of words and humor. They declare the need for individual happiness and love, and attack with playful mockery the most respected human institutions. The simple sentence structure of many of the poems makes them favorites in beginning French courses.
Prévert was born on Feb. 4, 1900, in Neuilly-sur-Seine. He joined the Surrealist movement during the 1920’s, and his poems reflect the fantasy and freedom of expression typical of Surrealism. Prévert also wrote the scripts for several films directed by Marcel Carné. Prevert died on April 11, 1977.
