Stendhal

Stendhal (pen name of Marie-Henri Beyle) was a French novelist born in 1783 who became one of the most original writers of the 19th century, known for combining Romanticism with realism and for his acute psychological analysis of characters. His finest works, *The Red and the Black* (1830) and *The Charterhouse of Parma* (1839), were not popular during his lifetime but have since become classics. He served in Napoleon's army and drew heavily from his experiences in Italy to explore themes of love, ambition, and societal change.