Corneille, Moliere, Racine Flashcards
Describe Pierre Corneille and 17th Century Neo Classicism
- neoclassicism was a state of mind that dominated all branches of the arts and in particular theatre
- Importance of Rules
1. Classical Unities
2. Disitnction between genres
3. Language and behavior of tragedy are kept on a noble level
4. Decorum
5. Verasimilitude and probability
Why was Pierre Corneille significant?
he was France’s first tragic dramatist
Pierre Cornielle (brief bio)
- Born in Rouen
- educated by Jesuits
- 1633: was presented to Cardinal Richelieu who granted him patronage
- 1636: Corneille adapted Le Cid from Las Mocedades del Cid be Guillen de Castro (age of Great French Literature dates from its production in 1636)
- elected a member of French Academy (despite his previous censure from them)
- not an easy person, brusque and shy, but refered to throughout his life as “le grand Corneille”
- 1674: left the theatre completely, from then on didn’t receive a royal pension
What was Moliere’s real name?
Jean Baptiste Poquelin
Moliere (brief bio)
- born to Marie and jean Poquelin
- Educated by Jesuits
- 1643: Moliere works with the Bejart family, acting troupe, falls in love with Madeleine
- Illustre Theatre - Theatre Moliere founded with Bejart family, at this time changed his name to “Moliere”
- 1645: toured and perfected his art
- 1658: returned to Paris performed for Louis XIV, was given royal patronage
- 1662: marriage to Armande Bejart (thought to possibly be his daughter with Madeleine)
- 1672: Kind withdraws patronage
- 1673: Moliere collapses right after a performance of The Imaginary Invalid
Why was Moliere significant?
he raised the traditional and often subliterary genre of farce to the satiric vehicle of social comment
Jean Baptiste Racine (brief bio)
- born outside of Paris
- educated at convent school at Port Royal, Jansenist thought promoted there
- became friends with Moliere after college
- 1667: began work on seven great tragedies
- 1667: Andromaque produced at Hotel de Bourgogne
- 1673: elected to French Academy
- 1677: appointed by king as Royal Historiographer
- 1698: fell out of favor with king
- 1699: died
“Preface” to Berenice
(1674) Racine discussing his ideas and desires for the work:
- desired to write a tragedy w/ extremely simple plot sustained by the force of passion, beauty of ideas and elegance of expression
- believed the principle rule of dramatic art was to please and stir
- in general all his prefaces are pleas for regularity, order and reason
Why was Racine significant?
He was considered the aposeosis of NeoClassic French Drama
