About “Saint Genet”
Saint Genet, Actor and Martyr is a 1952 book by Jean-Paul Sartre that examines the writer Jean Genet, focusing on his work The Thief's Journal. Sartre wrote the book as an attempt to show that genius is not a natural gift but a path created in moments of desperation. He also used his analysis of Genet’s character to shape the figure of Goetz in his play The Devil and the Good Lord, published in 1951. The work explores Genet’s life and personality through a philosophical lens, emphasizing his moral and psychological complexity. Sartre’s analysis reflects his broader existential ideas, particularly the concept of self-creation in adverse conditions. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.)
Book details
- First published
- 1952