Valéry is made Commander of the Legion of Honour
Poet involved
What happened
In 1931, Valéry was appointed a Commander of the Légion d'honneur in recognition of his standing in French cultural life. By then he was an established poet, essayist and public intellectual whose work had achieved national prominence. The honour reflected his growing institutional stature in France.
Literary impact
The distinction marked Valéry's transition from a relatively private literary figure into one of France's officially recognised cultural authorities. His later public roles, lectures and academic appointments were consistent with this increasingly prominent position.
Source: Wikipedia
