Date of Birth: December 6, 1919
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
Date of Death: December 21, 1983
Biography
Paul de Man was a Belgian-born literary critic and theorist, best known for his contributions to deconstructionism and post-structuralism. Born in Antwerp, Belgium, de Man initially studied chemistry at the University of Brussels before shifting his focus to literature and philosophy. After World War II, he moved to the United States, where he completed his doctorate at Harvard University. De Man held a series of academic positions, including at Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, and ultimately at Yale University, where he became a central figure in the Yale School of deconstruction alongside scholars like Jacques Derrida and Harold Bloom. His work often focused on the instability of linguistic meaning and the inherent ambiguities in literary texts. De Man’s reputation was posthumously marred by the revelation that he had written anti-Semitic articles for a collaborationist newspaper during the Nazi occupation of Belgium. Despite this controversy, his scholarly contributions remain influential in the fields of literary criticism and theory.
5 Interesting Facts about Paul de Man
1. Paul de Man was a close collaborator with Jacques Derrida, another key figure in the development of deconstruction.
2. His book “Blindness and Insight” is considered a seminal work in literary criticism.
3. De Man’s posthumous controversy involving wartime writings significantly impacted the reception of his work.
4. He was fluent in several languages, including French, Dutch, German, and English.
5. De Man was a mentor to several prominent literary critics, including Geoffrey Hartman and J. Hillis Miller.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Paul de Man
1. “Literature as a mode of expression is thus always a language of multiple meanings.”
2. “The resistance to theory is a resistance to the use of language about language.”
3. “Reading is an activity that involves the suspension of the reader’s identity.”
4. “To read is to enter into a dialogue with the text that transforms both the reader and the text.”
5. “The notion of a text implies that the author is no longer in control of its meaning.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Paul de Man’s highest net worth is not well-documented, as his primary career was in academia, which typically does not yield high financial wealth.
Children
Paul de Man had three children: two sons named Marc de Man and Henri de Man, and a daughter named Marie-Christine de Man.
Relevant Links
1. [Paul de Man – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_de_Man