47 Facts About Rimbaud

Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud was a French poet known for his transgressive and surreal themes and for his influence on modern literature and arts, prefiguring surrealism.

Rimbaud completely stopped writing literature at age 20 after assembling his last major work, Illuminations.

Rimbaud was a libertine and a restless soul, having engaged in a hectic, sometimes violent romantic relationship with fellow poet Paul Verlaine, which lasted nearly two years.

Arthur Rimbaud was born in the provincial town of Charleville in the Ardennes department in northeastern France.

Rimbaud's father, a Burgundian of Provencal heritage, was an infantry captain who had risen from the ranks; he had spent much of his army career abroad.

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Rimbaud participated in the conquest of Algeria from 1844 to 1850, and in 1854 was awarded the Legion of Honor "by Imperial decree".

Captain Rimbaud was described as "good-tempered, easy-going and generous, " with the long moustache and goatee of a Chasseur officer.

Rimbaud's came from a "solidly established family", but one with its share of bohemians; two of her brothers were alcoholics.

On 8 February 1853, Captain Rimbaud and Vitalie Cuif married; their first-born, Jean Nicolas Frederic, arrived nine months later on 2 November.

Rimbaud was not at home for his children's births, nor their baptisms.

Rimbaud's would punish her sons by making them learn a hundred lines of Latin verse by heart, and further punish any mistakes by depriving them of meals.

Rimbaud won eight first prizes in the French academic competitions in 1869, including the prize for Religious Education, and the following year won seven first prizes.

At the age of 15, Rimbaud was showing maturity as a poet; the first poem he showed Izambard, "", would later be included in anthologies, and is often regarded as one of Rimbaud's three or four best poems.

On 4 May 1870, Rimbaud's mother wrote to Izambard to object to his having given Rimbaud Victor Hugo's to read, as she thought the book dangerous to the morals of a child.

From late October 1870, Rimbaud's behaviour became openly provocative; he drank alcohol, spoke rudely, composed scatological poems, stole books from local shops, and abandoned his characteristically neat appearance by allowing his hair to grow long.

Rimbaud sent Verlaine two letters with several of his poems, including the hypnotic, finally shocking "Le Dormeur du Val", in which Nature is called upon to comfort an apparently sleeping soldier.

Rimbaud arrived in late September 1871 and resided briefly in Verlaine's home.

Rimbaud spent his days in the Reading Room of the British Museum where "heating, lighting, pens and ink were free".

Rimbaud was not well liked at the time, and many people thought of him as dirty and rude.

Rimbaud had to settle for Rimbaud and Verlaine, who were described as "geniuses of the tavern".

Merat spread many rumours in the salons that Verlaine and Rimbaud were sleeping together; the spread of those rumours was the commencement of the fall for the two poets, who were trying to build a good reputation for themselves.

Rimbaud initially dismissed the wound as superficial but had it dressed at the St-Jean hospital nevertheless.

Rimbaud did not immediately file charges, but decided to leave Brussels.

Rimbaud was interrogated about his correspondence with Rimbaud and the nature of their relationship.

Rimbaud returned home to Charleville and completed his prose work Une Saison en Enfer —still widely regarded as a pioneering example of modern Symbolist writing.

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Rimbaud managed to return incognito to France by ship; as a deserter he would have faced a Dutch firing squad had he been caught.

In December 1878, Rimbaud journeyed to Larnaca in Cyprus, where he worked for a construction company as a stone quarry foreman.

Rimbaud finally settled in Aden, Yemen, in 1880, as a main employee in the Bardey agency, going on to run the firm's agency in Harar, Ethiopia.

Rimbaud maintained friendly relationships with the official tutor of the young heir.

In 1885, Rimbaud became involved in a major deal to sell old rifles to Menelik II, king of Shewa, at the initiative of French merchant Pierre Labatut.

When Rimbaud finally reached Shewa, Menelik had just scored a major victory and no longer needed these older weapons, but still took advantage of the situation by negotiating them at a much lower price than expected while deducting presumed debts from Labatut.

In February 1891, in Aden, Rimbaud developed what he initially thought was arthritis in his right knee.

Rimbaud spent some time there in great pain, attended by his sister Isabelle.

Rimbaud received the last rites from a priest before dying on 10 November 1891, at the age of 37.

Thanks to Isabelle, Rimbaud was brought to Charleville and buried in its cemetery with great pomp.

Later on, Rimbaud was prominently inspired by the work of Charles Baudelaire.

In May 1871, aged 16, Rimbaud wrote two letters explaining his poetic philosophy, commonly called the Lettres du voyant .

Rimbaud expounded the same ideas in his poem "Le Bateau ivre" .

Rimbaud died without the benefit of knowing that his manuscripts not only had been published but were lauded and studied, having finally gained the recognition for which he had striven.

Rimbaud even forbids us to fall into silence; because he did, this, better than anyone.

Rimbaud's poetry influenced the Symbolists, Dadaists, and Surrealists, and later writers adopted not only some of his themes, but his inventive use of form and language.

Rimbaud was a prolific correspondent and his letters provide vivid accounts of his life and relationships.

University of Exeter professor Martin Sorrell argues that Rimbaud was and remains influential in not only literary and artistic circles but political spheres as well, having inspired anti-rationalist revolutions in America, Italy, Russia, and Germany.

Rimbaud is mentioned in the cult film Eddie and the Cruisers, along with the storyline that the group's second album was entitled A Season in Hell.

Rimbaud is the protagonist of the opera Rimbaud, ou Le Fils du soleil by Italian composer Lorenzo Ferrero.

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Rimbaud is mentioned in the CocoRosie song "Terrible Angels", from their album La maison de mon reve .

Rimbaud thought enough of himself to leave an inscription at the Temple of Luxor in Egypt.