Biography

Paul Verlaine was born on March 30, 1844 in Metz, France. He was a writer, known for French Kiss (1995), Stonehearst Asylum (2014) and Norwegian Wood (2010). He was married to Mathilde Meuté de Fleurville. He died on January 8, 1896 in Paris, France.

French poet and decadent, he was one of the leading figures of Symbolist poetry.

His relationship with fellow poet Arthur Rimbaud was the subject of Christopher Hampton's 1967 play "Total Eclipse". Hampton later adapted his play for the 1995 film version (Total Eclipse (1995)) directed by Agnieszka Holland and starring David Thewlis as Verlaine.

The end of his life was spent in a drunken and destitute state, wandering between slums, hospital and cafes, countering treatment for diabetes, ulcers and syphilis with absinthe. He died of pneumonia in January 1896 at the age of 51.