Gérard Bessette
Gérard Bessette was a prominent Canadian writer and critic, recognized for his innovative approach to literature. Born on February 25, 1920, in Ste.-Anne-de-Sabrevois, Quebec, he grew up in Montreal and pursued higher education in classical studies, earning his B.A. in 1941 and a Ph.D. in 1950 from the University of Montreal. His teaching career spanned over three decades, including roles at the University of Saskatchewan, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where he established a creative writing program.
Bessette's literary contributions began with poetry in 1954, followed by influential novels such as "La Bagarre" and "Le Libraire," the latter being acclaimed as one of Quebec's significant post-World War II novels. His work often explored themes of existential struggle and communication, particularly in his award-winning novel "L'Incubation" and its introspective style. Throughout his career, Bessette received numerous accolades, including the Governor General's Award and the Prix David from the Quebec government. He passed away on February 21, 2005, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire Canadian literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Gérard Bessette
- Born: February 25, 1920
- Birthplace: Ste.-Anne-de-Sabrevois, Quebec, Canada
- Died: February 21, 2005
- Place of death: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Biography
Gérard Bessette was a major Canadian writer and critic, noted for the variety of his work and his willingness to experiment. Bessette was born on February 25, 1920, in Ste.-Anne- de-Sabrevois, Quebec, Canada, the son of Jean-Baptiste and Victoria Bertrand Bessette. His father was a farmer, who later served as sexton in the village church of Sainte-Alexandre. His mother was a seamstress for a time and later a hairdresser. Bessette was ten when the family moved to Montreal; there, his father worked as a secretary and later became the director of a milk producer’s cooperative, and his mother opened a grocery store.
Bessette earned a B.A. degree in classical studies in 1941 from a the externat Sainte-Croix after having matriculated first at the College Saint Ignace. While working nights for the Metropolitan Tramways Company in Montreal, he ran a book store. He pursued graduate studies at the University of Montreal, earning a master’s degree in 1944. Bessette then moved to Saskatchewan, where he was a professor at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoo. His teaching career would last more than thirty years.
In 1950, he obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Montreal. He had been assured a teaching post at the university, but he was not hired, a situation Bessette attributed to his agnosticism. During the 1950’s, Bessette moved to the United States and worked at various jobs in New York before becoming a professor of French at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1958, Bessette returned to Canada to teach at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. In 1960, he accepted a position at Queen’s University in Kingston, where he would remain until his retirement in 1979. During the 1966-1967 academic year, he set up a creative writing program at Universitie Laval.
Bessette’s writing career began with a collection of poetry published in 1954. Four years later, he published his first novel, La Bagarre (1958; The Brawl 1976). His second novel, Le Libraire (1960; Not for Every Eye, 1962), was one of the most celebrated novels published in Quebec after World War II. Bessette also edited an anthology of the works of Albert Laberge, a novelist and short story writer who often had been censored.
His novel, L’Incubation (1965; Incubation, 1967), was a long interior monologue. In this stream-of- consciousness work, Bessette reveals a world in which man cannot find happiness or communicate meaningfully with his fellow men. This book won him the Governor General’s Award and first prize in Quebec’s Concour Litteraire. He received a second Governor General’s Award in 1971 for the novel Le Cycle (1971; The Cycle, 1987). In 1968, he was elected to the Royal Society of Canada.
Following his retirement, Queen’s University honored Bessette with a colloquium; papers on various aspects of his work poured in from academics across Canada. Soon thereafter, the government of Quebec gave him its highest literary award, the Prix David. Bessette died on February 21, 2005.