Antuan Furetiere Writer Date of Birth: 28.12.1620 Country: France

1. Biography of Antoine Furetiere
2. Early Life and Career
3. The Bourgeois Novel
4. Moral Fables and Novellas
5. Universal Dictionary

Biography of Antoine Furetiere

Antoine Furetiere was born on December 28, 1620, in Paris, and died on May 14, 1688, in the same city. He was a writer who played a significant role in the development of the realistic novel of the 17th century with his work "Le Roman Bourgeois" (1666), translated into Russian as "The Bourgeois Novel" in 1962.

Early Life and Career

Furetiere received a legal education and became a member of the French Academy in 1662. In 1653, he published a burlesque poem called "The Journey of Mercury," which cleverly and boldly satirized the vices of society, particularly the aristocracy. His collection of various poems, "Different Poems" (1655), predominantly featured verses close to the genre of moralistic satire.

The Bourgeois Novel

"Le Roman Bourgeois" played a significant role in the establishment of the realistic domestic novel of the 17th century. It stood out for its polemics against precious literature and its condemnation of the extremes of burlesque literature.

Moral Fables and Novellas

In 1671, Furetiere published "Moral Fables and Novellas," which further reinforced his democratic views. These works were known for their "third estate" perspective, reflecting the social class that was not part of the clergy or nobility.

Universal Dictionary

Furetiere created the "Universal Dictionary, Containing All the Words of the French Language" (published in 1690), which extensively covered the French lexicon of the 17th century. The release of the first part of the dictionary in 1684 caused outrage among the members of the French Academy, who subsequently expelled Furetiere from their ranks. This action occurred prior to the completion of a similar collective work being prepared by the French Academy.