# Alain Robbe-Grillet

> French author and film director (1922–2008)

**Wikidata**: [Q216266](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q216266)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Robbe-Grillet)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/alain-robbe-grillet

## Summary

Alain Robbe-Grillet (1922–2008) was a French novelist, film director, screenwriter, and literary critic who became a leading figure of the Nouveau Roman (New Novel) literary movement. He served as a member of the Académie Française and was appointed Officer of the Legion of Honour. His innovative works such as "The Erasers" and "La Jalousie" challenged traditional narrative structures and established him as one of the most influential experimental writers of the 20th century.

## Biography

- **Born**: August 18, 1922
- **Died**: February 18, 2007 (work period end: 2007)
- **Nationality**: France
- **Education**: Lycée Saint-Louis (post-secondary school in Paris, founded 1820/1965)
- **Known for**: Pioneering the Nouveau Roman movement; innovative anti-realist novels; experimental filmmaking
- **Employer(s)**: L'Express (French weekly news magazine, founded 1953), New York University (private university in NYC, founded 1831), Washington University in St. Louis (private research university in Missouri, founded 1853)
- **Field(s)**: Literature, Film Direction, Screenwriting, Literary Criticism, Essay Writing

## Contributions

- **Novels**: Published "The Erasers" (Les Gommes) and "La Jalousie" (Jealousy), which are considered foundational texts of the Nouveau Roman movement that rejected traditional narrative conventions
- **Film Direction**: Directed several experimental films applying the same anti-narrative techniques to cinema
- **Screenwriting**: Wrote screenplays for his own films and other productions
- **Literary Criticism**: Published essays and critical works on literature and theory
- **Academic Teaching**: Taught at New York University and Washington University in St. Louis as an educator
- **Journalism**: Contributed to L'Express, a prominent French weekly news magazine
- **Académie Française**: Elected member of France's pre-eminent council for the French language (founded 1635)
- **Work Period**: Active from 1953 to 2007

## FAQs

**What is Alain Robbe-Grillet best known for?**
Alain Robbe-Grillet is best known as a founding figure of the Nouveau Roman (New Novel) movement in French literature, with seminal works including "The Erasers" (1953) and "La Jalousie" (1957) that rejected traditional narrative storytelling in favor of experimental, anti-realist prose.

**What awards did Alain Robbe-Grillet receive?**
He received the Louis Delluc Prize (a French film award established in 1937), the Sade Prize (a French literary award established in 2001), was appointed Officer of the Legion of Honour (the second rank of France's highest order of merit), and received the Annual award ACFK from the Czech Republic.

**Where did Alain Robbe-Grillet teach?**
Alain Robbe-Grillet taught at New York University in the United States and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, sharing his literary and cinematic expertise with American students.

**What was the Nouveau Roman movement?**
The Nouveau Roman was a French literary movement that emerged in the 1950s, rejecting conventional narrative structures, character development, and plot in favor of experimental forms focusing on objects, surfaces, and subjective perception. Robbe-Grillet was among its most prominent proponents.

**Was Alain Robbe-Grillet involved in film?**
Yes, he was both a film director and screenwriter, creating experimental films that applied the same anti-narrative principles he used in his novels, making him a multidisciplinary artist in both literature and cinema.

## Why They Matter

Alain Robbe-Grillet fundamentally transformed 20th-century literature by challenging the conventions of the novel form. His rejection of traditional plot, character development, and realistic narration influenced generations of writers and filmmakers worldwide. As a member of the Académie Française, he contributed to French cultural and linguistic discourse at the highest institutional level. His dual career as novelist and filmmaker allowed him to bridge literary and cinematic arts, creating works that influenced both fields. The impact of his experimental approach can be seen in subsequent minimalist and postmodern literature. His academic positions at American universities helped spread French literary theory to English-speaking audiences, fostering cross-cultural intellectual exchange.

## Notable For

- Founding figure of the Nouveau Roman literary movement
- Member of the Académie Française (France's pre-eminent language council)
- Officer of the Legion of Honour (French order of merit)
- Author of "The Erasers" (1953) and "La Jalousie" (1957)
- Louis Delluc Prize recipient
- Sade Prize recipient
- Work period spanning 1953–2007
- Taught at New York University and Washington University in St. Louis

## Body

### Early Life and Education

Alain Robbe-Grillet was born on August 18, 1922. He received his secondary and higher education at Lycée Saint-Louis, a prestigious post-secondary school located in Paris. The institution was founded in 1820 and reorganized in 1965, providing Robbe-Grillet with a classical French education that would later inform his experimental literary approaches.

### Literary Career and the Nouveau Roman

Robbe-Grillet emerged as a central figure of the Nouveau Roman (New Novel) movement, which began in France in the 1950s. His first novel, "The Erasers" (Les Gommes), published in 1953, exemplified his rejection of conventional narrative structures. Instead of following traditional plot development, his works focused on objects, surfaces, and the subjective perception of reality.

His second novel, "La Jalousie" (Jealousy), published in 1957, further developed his experimental techniques. These works challenged readers to engage with literature in new ways, abandoning the expectation of linear storytelling in favor of fragmented, descriptive, and often ambiguous prose.

### Film Career

Beyond literature, Robbe-Grillet pursued a career in film as both director and screenwriter. He applied the same anti-narrative principles to cinema that he used in his novels, creating experimental films that challenged cinematic conventions. His work in film earned him the Louis Delluc Prize, a prestigious French film award established in 1937.

### Academic and Professional Affiliations

Robbe-Grillet maintained affiliations with several notable institutions throughout his career. He contributed to L'Express, a French weekly news magazine founded in 1953, as a writer and intellectual. He also held academic positions at American universities, including New York University (a private university in New York City founded in 1831) and Washington University in St. Louis (a private research university in Missouri founded in 1853).

His most prestigious affiliation came through his election to the Académie Française, the pre-eminent council for the French language founded in 1635. Membership in this institution represented official recognition of his contributions to French literature and culture.

### Awards and Recognition

Throughout his career, Robbe-Grillet received numerous awards acknowledging his contributions to literature and film. He was appointed Officer of the Legion of Honour, the second rank of France's highest order of merit. He received the Louis Delluc Prize for his film work, the Sade Prize for his literary achievements, and the Annual award ACFK from the Czech Republic.

### Later Life and Legacy

Robbe-Grillet remained active in his career until 2007, with his work period spanning from 1953 to 2007. He died on February 18, 2008. His legacy as a pioneer of experimental literature and film continues to influence contemporary writers and filmmakers. As one of the most prominent voices of the Nouveau Roman movement, his works remain studied in universities worldwide as examples of literary innovation and anti-realist narrative techniques.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. [birth certificate](https://www.cineartistes.com/?page=images&id=955&type=3)
3. Fichier des personnes décédées
4. [Source](http://www.gastongazette.com/news/local/today-in-history-dale-earnhardt-dies-at-daytona-1.97594)
5. BnF authorities
6. LIBRIS. 2012
7. [Source](http://frenchfilmsite.com/review/1966-T/Trans_Europ_Express.html)
8. [Source](http://vaguevisages.com/2014/09/20/francoise-brion-in-alain-robbe-grillets-limmortelle-1963/)
9. [Source](http://www.satanic-pandemonium.com/2015/02/deadly-sweet-aka-col-cuore-in-gola.html)
10. [Source](http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/framework_the_journal_of_cinema_and_media/v052/52.1.miller.html)
11. [Source](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/19/AR2008021900339.html)
12. The Fine Art Archive
13. www.acmi.net.au
14. [Institute for Contemporary Publishing Archives](https://portail-collections.imec-archives.com/ark:/29414/a01147273983828J6wb)
15. Find a Grave
16. [Source](https://www.sorbonne.fr/wp-content/uploads/Prix-litt%C3%A9raires-F%C3%A9n%C3%A9on-laur%C3%A9ats-1949-2025.pdf)
17. [Source](https://www.nouvelobs.com/actualites/20080219.BIB0841/robbe-grillet-m-039-a-assassinee.html)
18. [Source](https://acfk.cz/vyrocni-ceny-acfk/)
19. CiNii Research
20. MusicBrainz
21. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
22. SNAC
23. Discogs
24. Internet Speculative Fiction Database
25. NooSFere
26. filmportal.de
27. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
28. Artists of the World Online
29. Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana
30. Munzinger Personen
31. [Source](http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aF1d_zwwLY40&refer=home)
32. Who's Who in France
33. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
34. Fichier des personnes décédées mirror
35. Virtual International Authority File
36. [Source](http://www.ubu.com/historical/robbe-grillet/index.html)
37. [Source](http://www.ubu.com/sound/robbe-grillet.html)
38. [Source](http://www.ubu.com/film/robbe-grillet.html)
39. CONOR.SI
40. Autoritats UB
41. Goodreads
42. Cinemathèque québécoise Linked Open Data
43. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
44. [Source](https://www.filmfestival.nl/persoon/alain-robbe-grillet)