From a middle-class, cultured Norman backgrund, Merimee began studying law, but it was obvious that both his talent and interests were in literature and languages. Encouraged by his close friend, the novelist Stendhal, Merimee wrote his first play, Cromwell, in 1822. He served in the French admiralty as an inspector of historical monuments and travelled throughout Europe and Turkey. His interests included archaeology and history and many of his works were of an historical nature. A master of the short story, Merimee's works often included mysticism and the unusual. He was made a senator during the reign of Napoleon III. Some of his well-known works were La Guzla (1827), L'Occasion (1830), The Carriage of Saint-Sacrement (1830), Mateo Falcone (1833), Mosaique (1833), Colomba (1840), Carmen - which inspired Bizet's opera - (1846), Lokis (1869) and La Chambre Bleue (1872). Merimee also wrote numerous historical works such as Studies on Roman History (1844) and The History of Don Pedro I, King of Castille (1848). |
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