When was Jean Genet born and where did he grow up?
Jean Genet was born in 1910 to a mother who worked as a prostitute. He grew up in the provincial town of Alligny-en-Morvan under the care of a carpenter and his family.
Questions about Jean Genet
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What happened to Jean Genet at age fifteen regarding his legal status?
At age fifteen, authorities sent him to the Mettray Penal Colony on the 2nd of September 1926. He remained detained there until the 1st of March 1929 when he turned eighteen.
How did Jean Cocteau help Jean Genet avoid a life sentence in 1949?
Cocteau joined forces with Jean-Paul Sartre and Pablo Picasso to petition the French President for leniency. They successfully argued for the life sentence to be set aside after Genet faced ten prior convictions.
Which play by Jean Genet debuted in Paris in 1958 and what was its theme?
The Blacks debuted in Paris in 1958 and presented a violent assertion of black identity using masks. A New York production of The Blacks ran for 1,408 performances starting in 1961.
When did Jean Genet visit Palestinian refugee camps near Amman and who did he meet?
In late 1970, Genet spent six months inside Palestinian refugee camps near Amman. He secretly met Yasser Arafat during this time which inspired Prisoner of Love published posthumously in 1986.