Who Is Jean Genet? Age, Biography and Wiki
Jean Genet was born on December 19, 1910, and he passed away on April 15, 1986. Although Genet is no longer alive, his contributions to literature and theater continue to be celebrated. Known for his provocative works that explore themes of love, identity, and criminality, Genet's impact on the literary world is profound. With a unique perspective shaped by his experiences, including his time in prison, Genet's writings remain relevant today, influencing contemporary artists and writers alike.
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 19, 1910 |
| Age | 75 Years |
| Birth Place | Paris, France |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | France |
| Date of death | 15 April, 1986 |
| Died Place | Paris, France |
Popularity
Jean Genet's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific measurements of Jean Genet’s height and weight are not well-documented, historical accounts suggest that he had an average build. Genet was known for his striking appearance, often captivating those around him with his charisma. His enigmatic presence has become a cultural icon, and images of Genet portray a figure who mastered the art of self-representation.
* "Violence and Britality" ("Violence et brutalité"), in Le Monde, 2 September 1977. Also published as preface to Textes des prisonniers de la Fraction Armée rouge et dernières lettres d'Ulrike Meinhof, Maspero, Cahiers libres, Paris, 1977.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Jean Genet’s personal life remained enigmatic, much like his literary works. Throughout his life, he had relationships with both men and women, capturing the complexities of human desires in his writings. Notably, his love for men often inspired his characters and narratives. Genet's most famous relationships were with male lovers, which reflected his deep-seated explorations into homosexuality and romance. While Genet never married, his romances were often passionate and tumultuous, leaving an indelible mark on his life and work.
Genet's mother was a prostitute who raised him for the first seven months of his life before placing him for adoption. Thereafter Genet was raised in the provincial town of Alligny-en-Morvan, in the Nièvre department of central France. His foster family was headed by a carpenter and, according to Edmund White's biography, was loving and attentive.
While he received excellent grades in school, his childhood involved a series of attempts at running away and incidents of petty theft.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Jean Genet's net worth is not applicable due to his death in 1986. However, his literary legacy continues to generate revenue through ongoing sales of his books, adaptations of his plays, and scholarly works analyzing his life and contributions. The financial impact of his work is realized through continued interest in his writings, which are studied in various educational settings and performed globally.
Career, Business and Investments
Jean Genet’s career was marked by his brilliance in literature and theater. His notable works include Our Lady of the Flowers, The Thief's Journal, and The Balcony, all of which push the boundaries of traditional narrative and dramatic forms. During his lifetime, Genet was also involved in various political movements, aligning himself with marginalized communities and advocating for social change through his art.
Although Genet was not known for business investments during his life, his literary estate continues to be of interest to publishers and researchers. His works have been adapted into films, self-published, and produced in theaters around the world, ensuring his overarching impact on the arts will endure.
Social Network
Jean Genet was an influential figure and had a wide network in the arts community. Though social media did not exist during his lifetime, his relationships with other artists, writers, and thinkers were instrumental in his career. In contemporary times, many literary and theater professionals continue to discuss and analyze his work, keeping his legacy alive and influential on social media platforms and academic circles.
Throughout his five early novels, Genet works to subvert the traditional set of moral values of his assumed readership. He celebrates a beauty in evil, emphasizes his singularity, raises violent criminals to icons, and enjoys the specificity of homosexual gesture and coding and the depiction of scenes of betrayal.
Our Lady of the Flowers (Notre Dame des Fleurs 1943) is a journey through the prison underworld, featuring a fictionalized alter-ego named Divine, usually referred to in the feminine. Divine is surrounded by tantes ("aunties" or "queens") with colorful sobriquets such as Mimosa I, Mimosa II, First Communion and the Queen of Rumania.
The two auto-fictional novels Miracle of the Rose (Miracle de la rose 1946) and The Thief's Journal (Journal du voleur 1949) describe Genet's time in Mettray Penal Colony and his experiences as a vagabond and prostitute across Europe. Querelle de Brest (1947) is set in the port town of Brest, where sailors and the sea are associated with murder.
Funeral Rites (1949) is a story of love and betrayal across political divides, written for the narrator's lover, Jean Decarnin, killed by the Germans in WWII.
Education
Genet’s education was somewhat unconventional. Originally placed in an orphanage, Genet was eventually able to attend school, where he began developing his writing skills. His experiences with societal exclusion shaped his worldview and influenced his work significantly. Despite his lack of formal higher education, Genet's formal and informal experiences contributed to his unique voice and perspective in literature.
In conclusion, Jean Genet is a key figure in French literature, known for his avant-garde approach to storytelling and deep explorations of identity. His life, characterized by complex relationships and a powerful literary output, continues to inspire new generations.
From the late 1960s, starting with an homage to Daniel Cohn-Bendit after the events of May 1968, Genet became politically active. He participated in demonstrations drawing attention to the living conditions of immigrants in France. Genet was censored in the United States in 1968 and later expelled when he was refused a visa.
In an interview with Edward de Grazia, professor of law and First Amendment lawyer, Genet discusses the time he went through Canada for the Chicago congress. He entered without a visa and left with no issues.
