Valéry, << vah lay REE, >> Paul (1871-1945), was a French poet and critic who is often considered the greatest writer in the movement called Symbolism. He developed a highly intellectual theory of poetry that valued calculated work and rejected chance inspiration. His writings reflect his preoccupation with the process of thinking.
Valéry’s two best-known poems are The Young Fate (1917) and “The Cemetery by the Sea” (1920). The first poem examines the creation of ideas, and the second meditates on such philosophical problems as time and death. Valéry’s collection of shorter poems, Charms (1922), is classical in its pure and structured form. Its symbolism is difficult but understandable.
Valéry’s prose work Introduction to Leonardo da Vinci’s Method (1895) maintains that artistic creation consists primarily in forming structures and that the artist is a kind of engineer. The fictional sketch Evening with Mr. Teste (1896) examines in detail the thinker observing his own mind. Valéry added to this work throughout his career. He also wrote rich and insightful literary essays. Valéry was born on Oct. 30, 1871, in Sète, France. He died on July 20, 1945.
