Georges Bataille's tumultuous childhood, marked by his father's blindness and paralysis, and his subsequent death when Georges was a teenager, as well as his mother's attempted suicide, had a profound impact on his life and work.
His mother, who had always been fiercely independent, played a significant role in his last novel, Ma mère, which was published posthumously. In the novel, a devout Catholic boy, who is determined to become a priest to defy his controlling, atheist father, idolizes his free-spirited mother. After his father's death, the mother's newfound freedom propels her teenage son into a wild and erotic journey.
Georges Bataille's own life was marked by struggles with health, particularly tuberculosis, which led to his discharge from the Army during World War I. He later studied to become a monk, but renounced Catholicism and went on to lead a life of artistic and intellectual pursuits.
Bataille's novels, which were often published under pseudonyms, featured aggressive female protagonists and explored themes of love, violence, and eroticism. His work has influenced a wide range of artists, including musician and actress Björk, and experimental film director Matthew Barney.
In addition to his novels, Bataille was a respected scholar and editor, and founded a secret society that was anti-fascist. He also wrote poetry and essays, and was a key figure in the French intellectual scene.
Bataille's personal life was marked by tumultuous relationships and struggles with health. He was married to the acclaimed French actress Sylvia Bataille, who later married the psychiatrist Jacques Lacan. Their daughter, Laurence, followed in her parents' footsteps, becoming a psychiatrist and actress, and was arrested for her support of the Algerian revolution.
Bataille's lover and colleague, Colette Peignot, was a beautiful and rebellious writer who died of tuberculosis at the age of 35. Georges Bataille himself died of tuberculosis at the age of 61, and his daughter Laurence died at the age of 36, just five years after her father's passing.
