Paul Valéry
(1871–1949)

Paul Valéry was greatly influenced by the literary movement Symbolism. The Symbolists believed that using symbols to suggest key ideas or manipulate reality provided deeper meaning than representing life factually and accurately as Realists did. Valéry was greatly influenced by Symbolist Stéphane Mallarmé, whom he met while attending law school.

This introduction to the possibilities that creative combinations of words allowed may have been the reason Valéry chose to become a recluse for twenty-five years. During this time, he studied creativity, mathematics, and psychology. When he reentered society, he received many awards and recognitions.

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