Write the introduction to Guy De Maupassant.

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Guy de Maupassant was a great writer of France. He is considered to be one of the best short story writers of the world. He was born on 5 August, 1850 at the Chateau de Miromesnil in France. Maupassant was a representative of the naturalist school of writers. He depicts human lives often in pessimistic terms. Many of his stories were written during France-Prussian War of the 1870s. He describes the futility of wars and violence that take thousands of innocent lives. He wrote more than 300 short stories, 6 novels, travel books and even poetry.

In 1880 Guy de Maupassant published what is considered his first masterpiece, Boule de Suif which met with instant and tremendous success Flaubert, Maupassant’s literary godfather characterized it as ‘a masterpiece that will endure’. This was Maupassant’s first piece of short fiction set during the Franco-Prussian War, and was followed by short stories such as Deux Amis, Mother Savage and Mademoiselle Figi.

The decade from 1880 to 1891 was the most fertile period of Maupassant’s life. Made famous by his first short story, he worked methodically and produced two or sometimes four volumes annually. His talent and practical business sense made him wealthy.

In 1881, he published his first volume of short stories under the title of La Maison Tellier, it reached its twelfth edition within two years. In 1883, he finished his first novel Unevie (translated into English as A woman’s Life), 25.000 copies of which were sold in less than a year. His second novel, Bel Ami, which came out in 1885, had thirty seven printings in four months. His novel, Pierre et Jean is considered to be his greatest novel.