Djuna Barnes

Date of Birth: June 12, 1892

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: June 18, 1982

Biography

Djuna Barnes was an American writer and artist, best known for her novel “Nightwood,” which has been acclaimed as a classic of modernist literature. She was born on June 12, 1892, in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. Barnes’s early life was unconventional; her father was an unorthodox thinker who exposed her to a bohemian lifestyle, which significantly influenced her later works. Barnes began her career as a journalist and illustrator in New York City, contributing to various publications. Her work often featured strong feminist themes and explored complex sexual identities. She moved to Paris in the 1920s, where she became a central figure in the expatriate literary scene, mingling with other prominent writers of the Lost Generation. Her most famous work, “Nightwood,” was published in 1936 and is known for its innovative style and exploration of themes such as love, despair, and identity. The novel was praised by literary giants such as T.S. Eliot, who wrote the introduction for its American edition. Barnes’s later years were marked by reclusiveness. She returned to New York City, where she lived in relative obscurity until her death on June 18, 1982. Despite her retreat from public life, her work continued to garner critical acclaim and influence generations of writers.

5 Interesting Facts about Djuna Barnes

1. Djuna Barnes was one of the few women in her time to openly explore themes of lesbianism in her work.

2. She was a part of the influential literary circle in Paris that included James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound.

3. Barnes’s novel “Nightwood” was one of the first to portray a transgender character with depth and sympathy.

4. She was also an accomplished artist and illustrator, creating illustrations for her own works and other publications.

5. Barnes’s mother, Elizabeth Chappell, was a suffragist and artist, which influenced Barnes’s feminist perspectives.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Djuna Barnes

1. “I am not a critic. I am a writer. I won’t defend that statement; I won’t attempt to explain it.”

2. “We are but skin about a wind, with muscles clenched against mortality.”

3. “I have to live with myself and so, I want to be fit for myself to know.”

4. “God, children know something they can’t tell; they like Red Riding Hood and the wolf in bed!”

5. “The unendurable is the beginning of the curve of joy.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Djuna Barnes’s highest net worth is not extensively documented, but she lived modestly and did not achieve significant financial success from her writings during her lifetime.