Mérimée, Prosper, << may ree MAY, praws PAIR >> (1803-1870), a French author, is best known for his novelettes (long short stories). One of them, “Carmen” (1845), was the source for Georges Bizet’s opera of the same name (see Opera (Carmen)). Mérimée’s other novelettes include “Mateo Falcone” (1829) and “Colomba” (1840), tales of violence in Corsica. In the fantastic tale “The Venus of Ille” (1837), the hero is apparently killed by a statue.
Mérimée was born on Sept. 28, 1803, in Paris. His first works were Theatre of Clara Gazul (1825), a group of plays; and La Guzla (1827), a book of ballads. He fooled the public by saying these works were translations. Mérimée wrote during the Romantic age, and his work has elements of both Romantic and Classical literature. It is Romantic in the violent passions it portrays, and in the strong personalities of its characters. Mérimée’s work is Classical in its unemotional presentation, formal style, and its attention to detail.
In the 1850’s, Mérimée worked to arouse French interest in Russia and its literature through his essays and translations. As Inspector General of Historic Monuments, he was active in restoring and preserving important French monuments. He also wrote much history, in addition to his plays and fiction. He died on Sept. 23, 1870.
