Germaine Guèvremont
Encyclopedia
Germaine Guèvremont, born Grignon (April 16, 1893 – August 21, 1968) was a Canadian
writer, who was a prominent figure in Quebec literature
.
Born in 1893 in Saint-Jérôme
, Quebec
, she was educated in Quebec and Toronto
, and worked as a journalist for women's magazines before marrying Hyacinthe Guèvremont and moving with him to Sorel
in 1916. She was a housewife
for a number of years, but later returned to journalism as a writer for The Gazette
and an editor for Le Courrier de Sorel. The Guèvremonts later moved to Montreal
, where Germaine worked as a court stenographer during the Great Depression
. She also began to publish short stories
, which were compiled into her debut book, En plein terre, in 1938.
She published the novel Le Survenant in 1945, followed by the sequel Marie-Didace in 1947. The Outlander, an English translation of her two novels in one volume, was published in 1950, and won the fiction prize in the 1950 Governor General's Awards
. The book was also published in the United Kingdom
under the title Monk's Reach. She did not publish any further novels, but continued to publish journalism and short stories as well as writing radio and television adaptations of her fiction works. She began to write her memoirs late in life, but completed only two chapters before her death in 1968.
She was also a cousin of Claude-Henri Grignon
, the author of Un Homme et son péché. Ironically, Guèvremont's novels are largely recognized as the last influential examples of romans de terre, the traditionalist form of Quebec literature in the early 20th century, while Grignon's Un Homme broke with that tradition and is recognized as one of Quebec's first influential modernist novels.
. She was a member of the Académie des lettres du Québec
, and was depicted on a postage stamp by Canada Post
in 1968.
Le Survenant was chosen for the 2010 edition of Première Chaîne's Le Combat des livres
.
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...
writer, who was a prominent figure in Quebec literature
Quebec literature
-16th and 17th centuries:During this period, the society of New France was being built with great difficulty. The French merchants contracted to transport colonists did not respect their end of the bargain, and the French and their Indian allies were at war with the Iroquois, allied to the English...
.
Born in 1893 in Saint-Jérôme
Saint-Jérôme, Quebec
Saint-Jérôme is a town in Quebec, Canada, near Mirabel, about northwest of Montreal along Autoroute des Laurentides. The town is a gateway to the Laurentian Mountains and its resorts....
, 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....
, she was educated in Quebec and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and worked as a journalist for women's magazines before marrying Hyacinthe Guèvremont and moving with him to Sorel
Sorel-Tracy, Quebec
Sorel-Tracy is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada and the geographical end point of the Lake Champlain Valley at the confluence of the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River, on the western edge of Lac Saint-Pierre downstream and east of nearby Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006...
in 1916. She was a housewife
Housewife
Housewife is a term used to describe a married woman with household responsibilities who is not employed outside the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a married woman who is in charge of her household...
for a number of years, but later returned to journalism as a writer for The Gazette
The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
and an editor for Le Courrier de Sorel. The Guèvremonts later moved to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, where Germaine worked as a court stenographer during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. She also began to publish short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, which were compiled into her debut book, En plein terre, in 1938.
She published the novel Le Survenant in 1945, followed by the sequel Marie-Didace in 1947. The Outlander, an English translation of her two novels in one volume, was published in 1950, and won the fiction prize in the 1950 Governor General's Awards
1950 Governor General's Awards
In Canada, the 1950 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were the fourteenth such awards. The awards in this period had no monetary prize but were an honour for the authors.-Winners:*Fiction: Germaine Guèvremont, The Outlander ....
. The book was also published in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
under the title Monk's Reach. She did not publish any further novels, but continued to publish journalism and short stories as well as writing radio and television adaptations of her fiction works. She began to write her memoirs late in life, but completed only two chapters before her death in 1968.
She was also a cousin of Claude-Henri Grignon
Claude-Henri Grignon
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...
, the author of Un Homme et son péché. Ironically, Guèvremont's novels are largely recognized as the last influential examples of romans de terre, the traditionalist form of Quebec literature in the early 20th century, while Grignon's Un Homme broke with that tradition and is recognized as one of Quebec's first influential modernist novels.
Awards and honours
In addition to her Governor General's Award win, Le Survenant won the Prix David from the government of Quebec and the Prix Sully-Olivier de Serres from the Académie françaiseAcadémie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
. She was a member of the Académie des lettres du Québec
Académie des lettres du Québec
The Académie des lettres du Québec is a national academy for Quebec writers.It was founded as the Académie canadienne-française in 1944 by Victor Barbeau and a group of writers. In 1992 it changed its name to the Académie des lettres du Québec, under much controversy.It brings together writers and...
, and was depicted on a postage stamp by Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
in 1968.
Le Survenant was chosen for the 2010 edition of Première Chaîne's Le Combat des livres
Canada Reads
Canada Reads is an annual "battle of the books" competition organized and broadcast by Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC.-Overview:During Canada Reads, five personalities champion five different books, each champion extolling the merits of one of the titles. The debate is broadcast over a series...
.