Photo: International Progress Organization / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Jean Genet, born on December 19, 1910 in 6th arrondissement of Paris, France, was a writer, playwright and poet. Jean Genet died on April 14, 1986 at the age of 75. Awards on record include Grand prix national des Lettres (1983), star on Playwrights' Sidewalk and Pleiades Prize (1947). Notable works include Our Lady of the Flowers and The Maids.
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
- Occupation
- writer / playwright / poet / film director / screenwriter
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1983 Grand prix national des Lettres
- star on Playwrights' Sidewalk
- 1947 Pleiades Prize
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Our Lady of the Flowers | — | |
| Notable work | The Maids | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean%20Genet
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A5%E3%83%8D
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q184622
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Jean Genet born?
Born December 19, 1910.
When did Jean Genet die?
Died April 14, 1986, aged 75.
Where was Jean Genet from?
Jean Genet was from 6th arrondissement of Paris, France.
What did Jean Genet do?
Jean Genet worked as writer, playwright, poet, film director, screenwriter.
What was Jean Genet known for?
Notable works include Our Lady of the Flowers, The Maids.
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