S1 Ep9: Marguerite Duras

Great European Lives with Charlie Connelly

In this episode, host Charlie Connelly examines the life of French novelist, playwright and screenwriter Marguerite Duras. Feeling uncomfortable at home with her mother’s obvious favouritism of her brother, she found solace in the cinema from an early age - in particular in Charlie Chaplin’s films. One day, she caught a glimpse of Elizabeth Striedter, wife of the new regional governor, as she made her way back from the cinema. Fascinated by the woman, she soon began writing characters directly based on her. In fact, she often credits Strieder as the very reason she became a writer and the world witnessed her never-failing literary precision and clarity. Enjoyed this episode? Let us know by tweeting @TheNewEuropean