Born: 5 August 1850 · Died: 6 July 1893 · Age at death: 42
How old was Guy de Maupassant when he died?
Guy de Maupassant died aged 42. He was born on 5 August 1850 and died on 6 July 1893.
French master of the short story who wrote Boule de Suif and The Necklace and the novel Bel-Ami
Did you know?He reportedly ate lunch inside the Eiffel Tower daily because it was the only place in Paris where he could not see it.
Quick facts
Date of birth5 August 1850
Date of death6 July 1893
Age at death42
Cause of deathSyphilis
NationalityFrench
BirthplaceTourville-sur-Arques, France
Occupationshort story writer, playwright, journalist
Editor's Take:
Maupassant is one of the masters of the short story. In just over a decade he wrote around 300 tales, many with a sharp twist or a cruel irony. His style was clear and economical, learned from his mentor Gustave Flaubert. Stories like Boule de Suif and The Necklace are still taught worldwide. Writers from Chekhov to modern authors learned from his art of brevity.
Key Milestones
1870: Franco-Prussian War – serves as a soldier
1880: Boule de Suif – instant success
1883: Une vie – first novel
1884: The Necklace – famous twist story
Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (UK:, US:; French:; 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, celebrated as a master of the short story and associated with the naturalist literary school of thought, depicting human lives, destinies, and social forces in disillusioned and often pessimistic…
