Jay Hardin
asked
Bob Van Laerhoven:
Hey Bob! I'm writing a research paper on Maupassant and I'm trying to connect his fictions to his illness. You mention in one of your posts that he was obsessed with flies eating his brains. I think that is just so interesting, I see flies in a lot of his works. I cannot find anything scholarly on that whatsoever though. Could you point me in the direction where you learned this? I would be eternally grateful.
Bob Van Laerhoven
Hi Jay, glad to be some help. Maupassant's obsession with "brain-eating flies" is mentioned in a lot of biographies, and one of them - a venerable BBC arts site, thus, very reliable :-) - says it clear:
Maupassant became increasingly sombre as the syphilis attacked his spinal chord. He became obsessed with the notion that there were flies devouring his brain and in January 1892 he attempted to shoot himself, when he failed he rammed a paper knife into his throat and was committed to an asylum the next day. He died some months later, a little before his 43rd birthday.
You'll find the whole biography under this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/art...
Wish you lots of success with your research paper...Greetings from Flanders ...
Maupassant became increasingly sombre as the syphilis attacked his spinal chord. He became obsessed with the notion that there were flies devouring his brain and in January 1892 he attempted to shoot himself, when he failed he rammed a paper knife into his throat and was committed to an asylum the next day. He died some months later, a little before his 43rd birthday.
You'll find the whole biography under this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/art...
Wish you lots of success with your research paper...Greetings from Flanders ...
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