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Jean DesmaretsFrench poet and playwright
Date of Birth: 01.01.1595
Country:  France |
Content:
- Jean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin: A Life in French Literature
- Involvement with the French Academy and Cardinal Richelieu
- Theatrical Works and Criticism
- Transition to Mysticism and Literary Polemics
- Literary Disputes and the Quarrel of Ancients and Moderns
- Death and Legacy
Jean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin: A Life in French Literature
Early Life and DebutJean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin was born in Paris, France, in 1595, to a noble family. He made his literary debut in 1632 with an unsuccessful novel titled "Ariane."
Involvement with the French Academy and Cardinal Richelieu
Desmarets became a founding member of the Académie Française. Cardinal Richelieu, the influential French statesman, commissioned him to write several unsuccessful tragedies and tragicomedies. In collaboration with Richelieu, he penned the tragicomedy "Mirame" (1641), which contained veiled references to the love affair between Queen Anne of Austria and the Duke of Buckingham. "Mirame" inaugurated Richelieu's own theater, the Théâtre du Palais-Cardinal (later renamed Théâtre du Palais-Royal).
Theatrical Works and Criticism
Desmarets' subsequent plays, such as "Aspasie," "Scipion," and "Roxane," drew harsh criticism from Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux, who satirized Desmarets in his works. His ambitious epic poem "Clovis" was also met with disapproval. However, Desmarets' original comedy "Les Visionnaires" (1640) stands as a significant contribution to French literature. Full of eccentric characters and humorous situations, it provided inspiration for Molière's later works.
Transition to Mysticism and Literary Polemics
In his later years, Desmarets underwent a spiritual transformation, becoming a mystic and pietist. He published a versified translation of the "Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (1645) and a book of prose prayers. He engaged in polemics with the Jansenists and proclaimed himself a messenger of God, claiming to hold the key to the Apocalypse.
Literary Disputes and the Quarrel of Ancients and Moderns
Desmarets initiated a literary campaign against classicalism with his "Traité des poètes grecs et latins," sparking the renowned "Quarrel of Ancients and Moderns." The debate pitted defenders of classical values against advocates for modern literature and continued after Desmarets' death, with figures such as Boileau, Charles Perrault, Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, and Antoine Houdar de La Motte participating in the discourse.
Death and Legacy
Jean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin passed away in Paris on October 28, 1676. Despite his unsuccessful ventures in some genres, his original comedy "Les Visionnaires" and his role in the "Quarrel of Ancients and Moderns" secure his place in French literary history.
