Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir
- Born:
- January 9, 1908, Paris, France
- Died:
- April 14, 1986, Paris, France
- Nationality:
- French
- Profession(s):
- Writer, Philosopher, Feminist Theorist, Intellectual, Political Activist
Early Life and Education
- Born into a bourgeois family in Paris.
- Received a strict Catholic upbringing.
- Showed intellectual precocity from a young age.
- Studied mathematics, literature, and philosophy at the Institut Sainte-Marie and the Sorbonne.
- Obtained a degree in philosophy from the Sorbonne in 1929.
Career and Major Achievements
- Taught philosophy at various lycées (secondary schools) including Marseille, Rouen, and Paris.
- Formed a lifelong intellectual and romantic partnership with Jean-Paul Sartre.
- Became a prominent figure in existentialist philosophy.
- Engaged in political activism, advocating for women's rights and social justice.
- Her works became highly influential in the second-wave feminist movement.
Notable Works
- Novels: She Came to Stay (1943), The Blood of Others (1945), The Mandarins (1954)
- Philosophical Treatises: The Second Sex (1949), The Ethics of Ambiguity (1947)
- Autobiographies: Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter (1958), The Prime of Life (1960), Force of Circumstance (1963)
- Essays: America Day by Day (1948), Old Age (1970)
Legacy and Impact
Simone de Beauvoir remains a pivotal figure in 20th-century philosophy and literature. This de beauvoir simone biography definition highlights her lasting impact as a groundbreaking feminist theorist, existentialist philosopher, and influential writer, whose works continue to inspire critical thought and social change.