Was Joseph Mèry a criminal or a genius? Here on Rue Joseph Mèry, we delve into the life of a man who was both celebrated and controversial.
Rue Joseph Mèry is named after François Joseph Pierre André Mèry. He was born in Marseille in 1797. He died in Paris in 1866. He was a journalist, novelist, poet, playwright, and librettist. Mèry was a true literary jack-of-all-trades.
Early in life, Joseph Mèry embraced the Bonapartist cause. He was even jailed for fifteen months in 1820 for a satirical work. His career began with journalism. He contributed to *La Méditerranée*. He also founded *Le Phocéen*. These papers later merged into *Le Semaphore*.
Moving to Paris, Joseph Mèry collaborated with Auguste Barthélemy. Together, they penned satires. These included *Les Sidiennes* and *La Villéliade*. One publisher paid them 25,000 francs for *La Villéliade*. They also wrote *Napoleon in Egypt*. Mèry produced many novels and plays. His first novel was *Le Bonnet vert*. *La Bataille de Toulouse* was his first play.
During the Revolution of July, Joseph Mèry took up arms. He wrote a poem, *L’Insurrection*. He also created a hymn, *La Tricolore*. Halévy composed the music for it. In 1835, he released *Némésis*. The government demanded a hefty deposit, so the publication ceased.
Joseph Mèry co-founded *Le Palamède* in 1836. It was the first chess magazine. In 1840, he visited Queen Hortense in Italy. In 1847, he published *L’Arbitre des jeux*. It was a collection of game rules with accompanying poems.
Joseph Mèry wrote librettos and plays. Verdi adapted his play *La Bataille de Toulouse* into the opera *La battaglia di Legnano*. Joseph Mèry was known for his wit and improvisation. He wrote many plays in Paris. He collaborated with Gérard de Nerval on adaptations. These included works by Shakespeare.
Three of Joseph Mèry’s works are considered crime novels. They are *Le Bonnet vert*, *L’Assassinat*, and *Salons et souterrains de Paris*.
A friend of Balzac, Hugo, and Dumas, Joseph Mèry frequented literary circles. As a journalist, his criticisms of the Restoration government landed him in prison. Alexandre Dumas described Joseph Mèry as having a heart of an angel and the mind of a demon.
Alexandre Dumas challenged poets to compose poems using rhymes chosen by Joseph Mèry. Georges Bizet drew inspiration from his verses for piano pieces. Joseph Mèry co-wrote the libretto for Rossini’s *Sémiramis*. He also worked with Camille du Locle on Verdi’s *Don Carlos*.
Joseph Mèry’s brother, Louis, was a journalist and archivist. Joseph Mèry received a pension from Napoleon III. He died of a throat ailment. He is buried in Montmartre Cemetery. Rue Joseph Mèry honors a complex man. He was a writer of great range and talent. His life was full of political engagement and artistic collaboration.