Claude-Henri Grignon
Encyclopedia
Claude-Henri Grignon was a Canadian
novelist, journalist and politician, most famous for his novel Un Homme et son péché.
Born in Sainte-Adèle
, Quebec
, he was a cousin of writer Germaine Guèvremont
. He began working as a journalist in 1916, writing for a number of publications in Quebec, including La Minerve, Le Matin, Le Canada, Le Petit Journal, La Revue populaire, La Renaissance and Bataille. He published his debut novel
, Le Secret de Lindbergh, in 1929, and followed up with Un Homme et son péché in 1933 and the short story collection Le Déserteur et autres récits de la terre in 1934. As well, he was a prominent literary and political critic, whose non-fiction works included Les Vivants et les autres, Ombres et Clameurs and Les pamphlets de Valdombre, a trenchant satire
of the government of Maurice Duplessis
.
By satirizing rather than glorifying life in rural Quebec, Un Homme et son péché broke with Quebec's literary conventions of its time, and came to be recognized as one of Quebec's first influential modernist novels. Ironically, his cousin Germaine's novels Le Survenant and Marie-Didace are considered to be the last influential examples of Quebec's more traditionalist romans de terre.
He also subsequently wrote a radio dramatization of Un Homme et son péché, as well as the television adaptation Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut
. The novel has also been adapted as a film three times, including 2003's Séraphin: un homme et son péché
.
Grignon later served as mayor of Sainte-Adèle from 1941 to 1951.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
novelist, journalist and politician, most famous for his novel Un Homme et son péché.
Born in Sainte-Adèle
Sainte-Adèle, Quebec
Sainte-Adèle is a municipality in Quebec, Canada, and is part of the Les Pays-d'en-Haut Regional County Municipality. It lies on the Route 117 about north-west of Montreal. Its tourism-based economy centres on its skiing and hotel industry...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, he was a cousin of writer Germaine Guèvremont
Germaine Guèvremont
Germaine Guèvremont, born Grignon was a Canadian writer, who was a prominent figure in Quebec literature....
. He began working as a journalist in 1916, writing for a number of publications in Quebec, including La Minerve, Le Matin, Le Canada, Le Petit Journal, La Revue populaire, La Renaissance and Bataille. He published his debut novel
Debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...
, Le Secret de Lindbergh, in 1929, and followed up with Un Homme et son péché in 1933 and the short story collection Le Déserteur et autres récits de la terre in 1934. As well, he was a prominent literary and political critic, whose non-fiction works included Les Vivants et les autres, Ombres et Clameurs and Les pamphlets de Valdombre, a trenchant satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
of the government of Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Duplessis
Maurice Le Noblet Duplessis served as the 16th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from 1936 to 1939 and 1944 to 1959. A founder and leader of the highly conservative Union Nationale party, he rose to power after exposing the misconduct and patronage of Liberal Premier Louis-Alexandre...
.
By satirizing rather than glorifying life in rural Quebec, Un Homme et son péché broke with Quebec's literary conventions of its time, and came to be recognized as one of Quebec's first influential modernist novels. Ironically, his cousin Germaine's novels Le Survenant and Marie-Didace are considered to be the last influential examples of Quebec's more traditionalist romans de terre.
He also subsequently wrote a radio dramatization of Un Homme et son péché, as well as the television adaptation Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut
Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut
Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut is a Canadian television drama series, which aired on Radio-Canada from 1956 to 1970. One of the longest-running programs in the history of Canadian television, the series produced 495 episodes during its 14-year run and was one of the first influential...
. The novel has also been adapted as a film three times, including 2003's Séraphin: un homme et son péché
Séraphin: un homme et son péché
Séraphin: un homme et son péché is a Quebec film released in 2002. The script is based on a novel by Claude-Henri Grignon...
.
Grignon later served as mayor of Sainte-Adèle from 1941 to 1951.
Works
- 1922 - Les Vivants et les autres
- 1929 - Le Secret de Lindbergh
- 1933 - Ombres et Clameurs
- 1933 - Un homme et son péché
- 1934 - Le Déserteur et autres récits de la terre
- 1935 - Précisions sur « Un homme et son péché »
- 1936 - Les pamphlets de Valdombre