F. Scott Fitzgerald

Qui était vraiment Francis Scott Fitzgerald ? Cet écrivain, notamment connu pour son chef-d'oeuvre Gatsby Le Magnifique, a décrit les frasques de l'Amérique des années 20, une période qu'il a lui-même baptisée de « Jazz Age ». Saviez-vous que cet auteur, tout comme son contemporain Ernest Hemingway, était également un grand amoureux de la France ?

Not born to be famous?

American novelist, Francis Scott Fitzgerald, was born in 1896. Though he published nearly 200 short stories and four novels in his lifetime, he only gained widespread acclaim after his death in 1940.

novelist romancier(-ère) / short story nouvelle / in one’s lifetime de son vivant / widespread généralisé, (auprès du) grand public, à grande échelle / acclaim louanges (de la part de la critique), reconnaissance.

“Jazz Age”

Fitzgerald wrote mostly during, and about, the “Jazz Age”: a term he created to describe the 1920’s and early 30’s – which is still used by historians today. It was during this time that Fitzgerald pursued his literary career and obtained his first publications. In his collection of short stories, Tales of the Jazz Age, he said of the era: “It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, and it was an age of satire.” It was also during this period that he met his wife, Zelda.

Jazz Age l’Ère du Jazz (période durant laquelle le jazz fut un genre musical très influent, particulièrement dans les années 1920) / to pursue poursuivre, s’adonner à / collection ici, recueil / Tales of the Jazz Age Contes de l’âge du jazz.

Zelda Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald’s wife, Zelda, was more than a partner or a muse: Fitzgerald regularly plagiarised entire extracts from her diaries – leading contemporary critics to see their work as inseparable. Their relationship was stormy: both of them were unfaithful and had severe mental health issues – Fitzgerald had been a heavy drinker since college, and Zelda was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, their marriage was famous and envied: a renowned American journalist called them “the prince and princess of their generation”.

diary journal (intime) / to lead, led, led conduire, amener / stormy orageux / unfaithful infidèle / severe grave / issue problème / heavy drinker alcoolique / college université / renowned célèbre.

“Lost Generation”

In the mid-1920’s, Fitzgerald and his wife moved to France for a few years. There, he was greatly influenced by the Lost Generation: a group of writers located in Paris, including Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway and Fitzgerald became great friends and promoted each other’s works.

Lost Generation Génération perdue (courant littéraire américain de l’Entre-deux-guerres) / to move déménager, ici émigrer / to promote défendre, soutenir / work ici, oeuvre.

The Great Gatsby (1925)

The Great Gatsby is one of the most famous American novels of all time. It tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a millionaire and arriviste, and his failed attempt to reconnect with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan, a married woman. Surprisingly, the book sold poorly when it was published – and it took many years for it to achieve its iconic status.

The Great Gatsby Gatsby le Magnifique / of all time de tous les temps / failed infructueux, qui a échoué / former ancien(-ne) / lover amant(e) / poorly mal / to achieve atteindre / iconic emblématique, célèbre.

The Great Depression

Fitzgerald’s literary fame started to decline after the Great Depression in 1929, and the last novel he published was Tender is the Night (1934). To make up for his strained financial situation, and to pay for Zelda’s medical bills (she had fallen under the care of mental institutions) Fitzgerald became a screenwriter in Hollywood. By the time of his premature death at the age of 44 – due to his heavy alcohol consumption – he was largely unknown by the general public.

Great Depression années de dépression économique qui suivirent le krach de wall street en 1929 / fame célébrité, gloire / Tender is the Night Tendre est la nuit / to make, made, made up for compenser / strained tendu / bill facture / screenwriter scénariste / general public grand public.