Zénaïde Fleuriot
Encyclopedia
Zénaïde-Marie-Anne Fleuriot (28 October 1829 -19 December 1890), was a French novelist. She wrote eighty three novels, all aimed at young women, most of which were published in the series Bibliothèque rose and Bibliothèque bleue. Her writings were initially published under the pseudonym Anna Edianez, Edianez being an anagram of Zénaïde and Anna being derived from one of her own given names, Anne. She also wrote under the names Anna Edianez de Saint-B. and Anna Edianez de L.
, Brittany to a devoutly Catholic and Royalist family, faithful to the Bourbons. Her parents had sixteen children of which only five survived. Her father, Jean-Marie, having lost his mother as a child, was brought up by his uncle, a priest, who was shot by the Revolutionaries in Brest
in 1794 for refusing to sign the Civil Constitution of the Clergy
. At the age of fourteen he had fought in the Battle of Austerlitz
(1802). Repatriated in 1806, he turned to the study of law, becoming an advocate in Saint-Brieuc. During the July Monarchy
he lost his fortune and his job after attacking the régime in the aftermath of the 1830 Revolution. Zenaïde Fleuriot was deeply influenced by the political and religious milieu of her family environment.
Between 1849 and 1860, she worked as governess to the children of the Guillotou family in Kerever, staying in Saint-Brieuc during the winter and in Château-Billy, Ploufragan
, during the summer. During this period she produced a significant number of novels, which gave her financial independence.
In 1867, suffering from depression, she contemplated abandoning literature. Her deep Christianity led her to dream of living a sequestered religious life. In Rome, she met Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
, another Catholic writer, who became her confidante. Wittgenstein convinced her to continue with her literary career. She resumed literary work. In 1871 she founded and later led a vocational school intended to promote youth employment.
In the spring of 1872, Fleuriot visited her deceased brother’s children and their mother at the seaside town of Locmariaquer
. She fell in love with this little port, acquiring a large estate in 1873 with a magnificent view over the Gulf of Morbihan
. She built a house which she named "Kermoareb" (meaning "My Aunt’s House" in the Breton language
). It was here that she wrote one of her best-known novels, Petit chef de famille.
After her death in Paris, her body was transported by train from Gare Montparnasse
back to Brittany to be buried in the cemetery of Locmariaquer as she had requested. The coffin was carried to the grave by eight local sailors. The grave is in the form of a menhir
referring to the famous neolithic site directly behind the graveyard.
After her early publications she worked for the Journal des demoiselles et la Mode illustrée. Her novel Aigles et colombes (Eagles and Doves) was rewarded by the Académie française with a 1500 Franc prize.
She was a constant contributor to "Le Journal de la jeunesse" and "La Bibliothèque rose", whose aim was to provide young people with unobjectionable reading. Her novels are written in a simple, easy style.
Her background gave her a deep respect for traditional Christian and family values, which infused her work. This helped to make her work very popular among the Catholic middle class.
From 1874 to 1879, she edited the journal la Semaine des familles.
Posthumous publications :
Biography
Zénaïde Fleuriot was born in Saint-BrieucSaint-Brieuc
Saint-Brieuc is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-History:Saint-Brieuc is named after a Welsh monk Brioc, who evangelized the region in the 6th century and established an oratory there...
, Brittany to a devoutly Catholic and Royalist family, faithful to the Bourbons. Her parents had sixteen children of which only five survived. Her father, Jean-Marie, having lost his mother as a child, was brought up by his uncle, a priest, who was shot by the Revolutionaries in Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
in 1794 for refusing to sign the Civil Constitution of the Clergy
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, that subordinated the Roman Catholic Church in France to the French government....
. At the age of fourteen he had fought in the Battle of Austerlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
(1802). Repatriated in 1806, he turned to the study of law, becoming an advocate in Saint-Brieuc. During the July Monarchy
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy , officially the Kingdom of France , was a period of liberal constitutional monarchy in France under King Louis-Philippe starting with the July Revolution of 1830 and ending with the Revolution of 1848...
he lost his fortune and his job after attacking the régime in the aftermath of the 1830 Revolution. Zenaïde Fleuriot was deeply influenced by the political and religious milieu of her family environment.
Between 1849 and 1860, she worked as governess to the children of the Guillotou family in Kerever, staying in Saint-Brieuc during the winter and in Château-Billy, Ploufragan
Ploufragan
Ploufragan is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.Ploufragan is a neighboring commune of Saint-Brieuc.-Population:Inhabitants of Ploufragan are called ploufraganais.-External links:*...
, during the summer. During this period she produced a significant number of novels, which gave her financial independence.
In 1867, suffering from depression, she contemplated abandoning literature. Her deep Christianity led her to dream of living a sequestered religious life. In Rome, she met Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein was a Polish noblewoman who pursued a 40-year liaison/relationship with Franz Liszt. She was also an amateur journalist and essayist and it is conjectured that she did much of the actual writing of several of Liszt's publications, especially his Life of Chopin...
, another Catholic writer, who became her confidante. Wittgenstein convinced her to continue with her literary career. She resumed literary work. In 1871 she founded and later led a vocational school intended to promote youth employment.
In the spring of 1872, Fleuriot visited her deceased brother’s children and their mother at the seaside town of Locmariaquer
Locmariaquer
Locmariaquer is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.It lies south of Auray by road.-Coat of arms:This coat of arms was created 30 years ago by the local artist Jean-Baptiste Corlobé...
. She fell in love with this little port, acquiring a large estate in 1873 with a magnificent view over the Gulf of Morbihan
Gulf of Morbihan
The Gulf of Morbihan is a natural harbour on the coast of the Département of Morbihan in the south of Brittany, France. This English name is taken from the French version: le golfe du Morbihan...
. She built a house which she named "Kermoareb" (meaning "My Aunt’s House" in the Breton language
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
). It was here that she wrote one of her best-known novels, Petit chef de famille.
After her death in Paris, her body was transported by train from Gare Montparnasse
Gare Montparnasse
Paris Montparnasse is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris, located in the Montparnasse area in the XIVe arrondissement. The station was opened in 1840, and rebuilt completely in 1969...
back to Brittany to be buried in the cemetery of Locmariaquer as she had requested. The coffin was carried to the grave by eight local sailors. The grave is in the form of a menhir
Menhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
referring to the famous neolithic site directly behind the graveyard.
Literary career
Fleuriot published a number of essays under the name Anna Edianez, but very soon her early novels were published under the name Zénaïde Fleuriot.After her early publications she worked for the Journal des demoiselles et la Mode illustrée. Her novel Aigles et colombes (Eagles and Doves) was rewarded by the Académie française with a 1500 Franc prize.
She was a constant contributor to "Le Journal de la jeunesse" and "La Bibliothèque rose", whose aim was to provide young people with unobjectionable reading. Her novels are written in a simple, easy style.
Her background gave her a deep respect for traditional Christian and family values, which infused her work. This helped to make her work very popular among the Catholic middle class.
From 1874 to 1879, she edited the journal la Semaine des familles.
Novels
- 1857 : La Fontaine du moine rouge.
- 1859 : Souvenirs d'une douairière (this was her first popular success).
- 1860 : Marquise et pêcheur.
- 1861 : Ève, La Vie en famille, Une famille bretonne.
- 1862 : La Fille du serrurier, Sans beauté.
- 1863 : Histoire pour tous, Un cœur de mère, Réséda.
- 1864 : Au hasard (recueil de nouvelles), Yvonne de Coatmorvan.
- 1865 : Les Prévalonnais.
- 1866 : Le Chemin et le but, Une saison au bord de la mer (sequel to Chemin et le but), Sans nom, La clef d'or, La Glorieuse.
- 1867 : L'Oncle trésor, Une année de la vie d'une femme, Une chaîne invisible.
- 1868 : Petite belle, Alix (in two volumes), Histoire intime.
- 1869 : Deux bijoux, Mon sillon.
- 1870 : À l'aventure, Ce pauvre vieux, Notre passé.
- 1871 : Entre absents, Une parisienne sous la foudre, Siège de Paris.
- 1872 : Mes héritages, Marga (the second volume of Ce pauvre vieux), Les mauvais jours : note d'un bourru sur le siège de Paris, Notre capitale Rome.
- 1873 : Aller et retour Paris-Paray-le-Monial, Aigles et colombes (winner of a prize from the Académie française), Les pieds d'argile (in two volumes), Théâtre chez soi, Le petit chef de famille.
- 1874 : En congé, Armelle Trahec, Plus Tard ou le jeune chef de famille, (the second part of Petit Chef de famille), Bigarette.
- 1875 : Monsieur Nostradamus.
- 1876 : La Petite Duchesse.
- 1877 : Un fruit sec, Un enfant gâté, Miss idéal
- 1878 : Les aventures d'un rural (in two volumes), Raoul Daubry (the third part of Petit chef), Grand cœur.
- 1880 : Bonasse, La rustaude, Mandarine, Tranquille et Tourbillon.
- 1881 : Tombée du nid (the second part of Mandarine), Alberte (the second part of Petite Duchesse), Charybde et Scylla, Cadette.
- 1882: Bouche en cœur, Gildas l'intraitable, Faraude, Cadok.
- 1883 : Caline, L'héritier de Kerguignon (the second part of Cadok), Sous le joug (the second part of Gildas l'intraitable).
- 1884 : Désertion.
- 1885 : Ces bons Rosaëc (the second part of Désertion), Feu et flamme.
- 1887 : Le Clan des têtes chaudes, Au Galadoc (the second part of Clan des têtes chaudes), Le cœur et le tête (the second part of Tranquille et Tourbillon).
- 1888 : De trop, L'exilée du Val Argand (the second part of Le cœur et la tête), Parisiens et montagnards.
- 1889 : Les Premières pages, Cœur muet, Loyauté
- 1890 : Bengale (the second part of Galadoc)
Posthumous publications :
- 1891 : Rayon de soleil.
- 1892 : Papillonne.
- 1897 : Mon dernier livre.