Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a French writer and master of the short story form. He was born in Normandy, but later moved to Rouen where he was mentored by the novelist Flaubert. After serving in the Franco-Prussian war in 1870, he returned to writing as a sanctuary, becoming a fledgling member of the Naturalist group pioneered by Émile Zola.
