Photo: International Progress Organization / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Genet is one of those rare writers whose biography is as audacious as his prose. A vagabond and petty thief who turned the underworld into a stage for transgressive beauty, he never apologized for where he came from, and that defiance is exactly what makes his work electric to me. Our Lady of the Flowers and The Maids find dignity and danger in society's margins, and the arc from convict to recipient of the Grand prix national des Lettres feels almost mythic. I admire how unflinchingly he refused respectability. His writing still unsettles, and that, to me, is the highest compliment.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jean Genet
- Name (Japanese)
- ジャン・ジュネ
- Reading
- じゃん・じゅね
- Born
- December 19, 1910 – April 14, 1986
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Dog
- Origin
- 6th arrondissement of Paris, France
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- writer / playwright / poet / film director / screenwriter
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1983 Grand prix national des Lettres
- star on Playwrights' Sidewalk
- 1947 Pleiades Prize
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Our Lady of the Flowers | — | |
| Notable work | The Maids | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Jean Genet born?
December 19, 1910 – April 14, 1986.
Where is Jean Genet from?
Jean Genet is from 6th arrondissement of Paris, France.
What does Jean Genet do?
Jean Genet works as writer, playwright, poet, film director, screenwriter.
What is Jean Genet known for?
Notable works include Our Lady of the Flowers, The Maids.
Writer — see all → · Playwright — see all → · More people from France →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.