Pontus de Tyard

Pontus de Tyard (or of Thiard ), lord of Bissy, is a writer and French poet, born on April 20th, 1521 with Bissy-on-Fley in the Mâcon be born and dead on September 23rd 1605 with the castle from the Bragny-on-Saone.

Born with Bissy-on-Fley in 1521, of a noble house of Burgundy, Pontus de Tyard will have known, during its long life to illustrate itself like authentic humanistic in one of the periods the darkest of Burgundy: that of the wars of religion. Bishop of Trawl-net, it had rare courage to preach with the ones and the others moderation. Threatened for offense of oecumenism, tormented for the unwavering support which it carried to its sovereign, Tyard showed in all circumstances of a courage and an obstinacy to any test. This man true encyclopedist, was also an emblematic figure of the cultural life and political French at the 16th century, while being first of all one of the founders of the Pléiade (first literary movement of our history), or in addition exerting his perfect diplomatic provisions by ensuring near the king Henri III the role of advising State.

Pontus de Tyard will have taken part with an unquestionable enthusiasm in this great dash of knowledge which ignited the 16th century, while being essential like one of the Masters of the modernistic thought. Here remains then the image of a man, enthusiast of culture, erudite astronomer, mathematician of talent, poet and philosopher, to which most famous and beautiful spirits turned, in search of councils and spiritual help.

He writes the Errors in love with Lyon in 1549, collection which he prolongs until in 1555 several additions. Its style approaches that of Pétrarque (it also could be inspired by the Délie of his/her friend Maurice Scève) perhaps, and the subject was inspired by it by Louise Labé. In 1551, its Chant in favor of some excellens poëtes of this tems celebrates of Bellay, Marot and Ronsard.

Pontus is besides like Ronsard and of Bellay one of the members of the Pléiade, but it is implied less in poetic research of the group, in the Années 1550, because it works with a more philosophical work: the philosophical Discours , a series of Dialog S which will appear until in 1557, anonymously. These speeches enable him to explore knowledge in the fields of the Poésie, of the Musique, the Temps, the Divination and the Science of the whole Univers. The spiritual point of view (Psychology, Théodicée) and the material point of view (Physical Astronomy, , Meteorology) there are approached. It thus mentions theory new of Copernic on several occasions. Pontus de Thyard made precede the Second Curious by a memorable foreword, which constitutes a vibrating plea for the French language.

After 1570, Pontus is a certain success in the Parisian living rooms at the time of the current neo-petrarquist which sees in its Erreurs in love a work founder. Its poetic Works , in 1573, is dedicated to the Marshal's wife de Retz.

It becomes bishop of Châlon-sur-saône in 1578, and its life takes new then turning since it is devoted entirely to his new load. Appointed in the States of Blois in 1588, it defended the royal authority against the Ligueurs. It will give up its load of bishop in 1589 to withdraw itself in its grounds, where it will remain until his death.

In 1594 it published Extrait from the genealogy of Hugues Capet .

With Tyard, we discover one century when “poetry was queen” but also a very favoured and contrasted character. Supported by physical health, the intellectual gifts and the virtues, in the same way the social status which more easily makes it possible to philosophize on art of living by teasing the Muses. It is the context also which explains contradictions of the portrait: that of a man “passionately liking Burgundy” while allotting its defects to “the filth mâconnaise” of its origins, that of a popularizer who “mistakes the stupid people and scandalmonger”, that of a Bishop who “makes trade of galanteries” in his worms, that of one at the same time modern thinker (by his humanism and its reflection on the equality of the sexes) and traditional (by its linguistic ethnocentrism), that still of a nature carried to reserve and modesty but also “expert in the art of the slavish flattery”, that finally of a poet which has a high idea of poetry but does not attach no importance with its productions, preferring philosophy to him. These oppositions, far from discrediting the character, make it more complex on the contrary more alive.

… If the érudite attention concentrates and is delayed on this companion of Ronsard and of Bellay, it distinguishes in Thiard almost all the noble elements of which the great men of its time were made up. (…) This poet was astronomer, this astronomer bishop, this bishop agent of the king and his feather in the polemic. The quadrant, the miter, the astrolabe could be reproduced on its tomb… Écrit Paul Valéry in the only study of Variety which it devoted to a poet of the 16th century.

Nowadays, a college bears its name, with Châlon-sur-saône.

External bond

Article on Pontus de Tyard

Biography

Pontus de Tyard, or universe of a curious , by Emmanuel Mother Editions Hérode

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