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Which poets were major figures in French Symbolism?
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French literature
An early version of Voltaire's Candide printed in London, 1759.
In the context of French literature, the Symbolist movement emerged in the late 19th century as a revolt against the rigid conventions of traditional poetry, such as that of the Parnassian school. Symbolist poets sought to express individual emotional experiences and the mystery of existence through suggestive language, musicality, and the use of metaphors.21
The principal French Symbolist poets include:
- Stéphane Mallarmé21
- Paul Verlaine21
- Arthur Rimbaud21
- Jules Laforgue21
- Henri de Régnier21
- Gustave Kahn21
- René Ghil21
- Jean Moréas, who published the movement's manifesto in 188621
Additionally, Paul Valéry and Paul Claudel are often considered direct 20th-century heirs to the movement. While Charles Baudelaire is not categorized as a Symbolist, his work served as a vital influence on the movement's development.21