Learn How to Pronounce François Mauriac | YouPronounce.it
How to Pronounce François Mauriac
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Meaning and Context
François Mauriac, a towering figure of 20th-century French literature, was a novelist, essayist, and Nobel laureate whose profound Catholic faith deeply informed his exploration of human frailty, desire, and redemption. Born in Bordeaux in 1885 and awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1952, his masterful narratives, such as Thérèse Desqueyroux and Vipers' Tangle (Le Nœud de vipères), dissect the suffocating constraints of provincial bourgeois life and the intense psychological and moral dilemmas of his characters. A member of the prestigious Académie française, elected in 1933, Mauriac's literary legacy is defined by his lyrical yet unflinching portrayal of sin and grace, cementing his status as a leading voice in French Catholic literature and a master of the psychological novel whose works remain essential reading for understanding the complexities of the human soul.
Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings
The standard and correct spelling is François Mauriac, which includes the cédille (ç) under the 'c' in François. Common errors and variations arise from omitting this diacritical mark, resulting in the incorrect "Francois Mauriac." The surname is also frequently misspelled by adding an extra 'r' as in "Maurriac" or by misspelling the first name as "Francis" due to anglicization. In bibliographic references, his full name is sometimes presented with his middle initial, as in François C. Mauriac (Charles being his middle name). When searching for his works, it is important to note the original French titles, as translations can vary; for instance, Le Nœud de vipères is most commonly known in English as Vipers' Tangle, but has also been published as The Knot of Vipers.
Example Sentences
Scholars often cite François Mauriac's Thérèse Desqueyroux as a seminal study of female alienation and spiritual despair within the confines of a traditional marriage.
In his later years, François Mauriac used his influential column in Le Figaro to engage in political commentary, notably supporting the decolonization of Morocco and Algeria.
The Nobel committee honored François Mauriac for the deep psychological insight and artistic intensity with which he portrayed the drama of human life in his novels.
When discussing the tradition of the French Catholic novel, the works of François Mauriac are invariably mentioned alongside those of Georges Bernanos and Paul Claudel.
A first edition of Vipers' Tangle by François Mauriac remains a prized find for collectors of modern French literature.
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