See also: Crow

Pierre Corneille (Rouen, June 6th 1606 - Paris, October 1st 1684) is a dramatic author French 17th century. Its most famous parts are Cid , Cinna , Polyeucte and Horace . The richness and the diversity of its work reflect the values and the great interrogations of its time.

Biography

Elder from the six children of an easy family magistrates Rouen be born, Pierre Corneille starts in 1628 a lawyer career. In 1629, a sorrow in love the conduit to write its first towards, then its first comedy, Mélite . With the parts which will follow: Clitandre, the Widow, the Gallery of the Palate, the Following one, the Royal Place, Médée and the comic Illusion , appears a new style of theater where the tragic feelings are put in scene for the first time in a plausible universe, that of the contemporary company.

In 1641, he marries Marie Lampérière, girl of lieutenant, of which he will have 7 children.

Crow, official author named by Richelieu, breaks with this statute of Poète of the mode and with the disputed policy of the Cardinal, to write to parts exciting the nobility ( Cid , universally known work today), recalling that the politicians are not above the laws ( Horace ), or showing a monarch seeking to differently take again the capacity than by reprisals ( Cinna ).

In 1647 it is elected with the French Academy with the 14 qu armchair' will occupy his/her brother and accessory Thomas after his death.

Of 1643 with 1651, after the death of Richelieu, and during the period of the Sling, the crisis of identity which the France crosses finds in the work of Crow: it regulates its accounts with Richelieu in the Death of Pumped , gives a tragedy of the civil war with Rodogune and develops the topic of the king hidden in Héraclius, Don Sanche and Andromède , wondering about the nature even of the king, subordinated to the vicissitudes of the Histoire, while thus making him gain in humanity.

Starting from 1650, its parts are a less success, and it ceases writing during several years after the failure of Pertharite . The rising star of the French Théâtre is then Jean Racine whose intrigues misent more on the feeling and appear less heroic and more human. The old poet does not resign himself and joins again with the scene with the tragedy Oedipus .

Continuous crow to innovate as regards theater until the end of its life, while assembling what it calls a “Pièce with machines”, i.e. privileging the setting in scene and the “special Effets” ( the Golden Fleece ), and while testing themselves with the musical theater ( Agésilas, Psyché ). It approaches also the topic of the renouncement, through the incompatibility of the royal load with the right to happiness ( Sertorius, Suréna ). The comparison with Racine had turned to its disadvantage when the two authors had produced, almost simultaneously, on the same subject, Bérénice (Root) and Tite and Bérénice (Crow).

At the end of its life, the situation of Crow is such as Boileau request for him a royal pension which it obtains from Louis XIV. Crow dies in Paris on October 1st 1684.

The wide and rich work of Crow gave rise to the adjective “cornélien”, whose direction is particularly galvaudé today since it indicates at the same time:

  • will and heroism
  • the force and literary density
  • nobility of soul and the integrity
  • an irreducible opposition between two points of view.

Works

Theater

Others

  • Translation of the Imitation of Jesus-Christ

  • Three Speeches on the dramatic art
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