text: Marie-Henri Beyle ( 23 January 1783 â `` 23 March 1842 ) , better known by his pen name Stendhal , was a 19th-century French writer .
simplified: Henri-Marie Beyle ( January 23 , 1783 -- March 23 , 1842 ) is better known by his pen name Stendhal . He was a 19th century French writer .