Pierre Corneille: biography and creativity

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Pierre Corneille was a famous French playwright and poet of the 17th century. He is the founder of classical tragedy in France. In addition, Corneille was accepted into the ranks of the French Academy, which is a very high distinction. So, this article will be devoted to the biography and work of the father of French dramaturgy.

Pierre Corneille: biography. Home

The future playwright was born on June 6, 1606 in Rouen. His father was a lawyer, so it is not surprising that Pierre was sent to study law. The young man was so successful in this area that he even got his own practice as a lawyer. However, already in those years, Corneille was attracted to the fine arts - he wrote poetry, adored the performances of acting troupes touring throughout France. And he wanted to get to Paris - the cultural center of the country.

During these years, Pierre Corneille was already beginning to make his first literary experiments in the dramatic genre. In 1926, he showed his first work, the comedy in verse "Melita", to the actor G. Mondori, who was not particularly famous in those years, who led the theater troupe,traveling through the French provinces on tour.

Paris

Mondari liked the piece and staged it the same year. "Melita" was a huge success, which allowed the actors and the author himself to move to Paris. Here Mondori continued to collaborate with Corneille and staged several more of his plays: "The Gallery of Fates", "The Widow", "Royal Square", "Subretka".

1634 was a turning point for both Mondori and Corneille. The fact is that Richelieu, who drew attention to the works of Corneille, allowed Mondori to organize his own theater in Paris, which was called "Mare". This permission violated the monopoly of the theater "Burgundy Hotel", the only such institution in the capital until that moment.

From comedy to tragedy

But Richelieu did not stop only at allowing the creation of a new theater, he also included Corneille in the ranks of poets who wrote plays commissioned by the cardinal himself. However, Pierre Corneille quickly left the ranks of this group, as he wanted to find his own creative path. At the same time, the poet's plays begin to gradually change - the comedy leaves them, the dramatic moments intensify and the tragic ones begin to appear. Corneille's comedies gradually turn into tragicomedies. More and more, the writer is moving away from the genre chosen at the beginning of his work.

And finally Pierre Corneille composes his first real tragedies. These are "Klytander" and "Medea", based on the Greek epic. This creative stage is completed by the play "Illusion", unlike the other works of the poet. In herthe playwright addresses the theme of theater and acting brotherhood. Nevertheless, Corneille did not change his tradition of writing in verse even in this work.

The Sid Tragedy

However, the next tragedy, which the French poet created in 1636, turned out to be a turning point for the history of the entire world drama. It was the play Sid. In this work, for the first time, a conflict appeared, which in the future will become mandatory for a classic tragedy - a conflict between duty and feeling. The tragedy was an incredible success with the public and brought its creator, as well as the theater troupe, unprecedented fame. How widespread this popularity was can be judged at least by the fact that after the production of The Cid, Corneille received the title of nobleman, which he had dreamed of for so long, and a pension personally from Cardinal Richelieu. Nevertheless, the first attempt to become a member of the French Academy was unsuccessful. Only in 1647 the poet was awarded this honor.

Theoretical work and return to Rouen

Begins work on the theory of tragedy as a genre Pierre Corneille. The writer's work during this period is replete with various journalistic articles on the theatrical theme. For example, Discourse on Dramatic Poetry, Discourse on the Three Unities, Discourse on Tragedy, etc. All these essays were published in 1660. But the poet did not stop only at theoretical developments, he sought to embody them on stage. Examples, and very successful ones, of such attempts were the tragedies "Cinna", "Horace" and "Polyeuct".

When in 1648 inFrance begins the events of the Fronde (movement against absolute power), Corneille changes the direction of his plays. Returning to the comedy genre, he satirizes the struggle for power. These works include the plays "Heraclius", "Rodogun", "Nycomedes".

However, gradually interest in Corneille's work fades away, and the production of "Pertarita" generally turns into a failure. After that, the poet decides to return to Rouen, making the decision to abandon literature.

Last years of life

But after seven years, the French poet receives (in 1659) an invitation to return to Paris from the Minister of Finance. Corneille brings with him his new work - the tragedy "Oedipus".

The next 15 years are the final stage of the writer's work. At this time, he turns to the genre of political tragedies: "Otto", "Sertorius", "Attila", etc. However, Corneille did not succeed in repeating his former success. This was mainly due to the fact that a new dramatic idol appeared in Paris - it was Jean Racine.

For the next 10 years, Corneille did not write theatrical plays at all. The poet died in Paris on October 1, 1684, almost forgotten by his public.