Coppée was born in Paris to a civil servant. After attending the Lycée Saint-Louis he became a clerk in the ministry of war and won public favour as a poet of the Parnassian school. His first printed verses date from 1864. In 1869, his "Poème modernes" (among others La Grève de forgerons) were quite successful. In the same year, Coppée's first play, Le Passant, starring Sarah Bernhardt and Madame Agar,[1] was received with approval at the Odéon theatre, and later Fais ce que dois (1871) and Les Bijoux de la délivrance (1872),[2] short poetic dramas inspired by the Franco-Prussian War, were applauded.
After holding a post in the library of the senate, Coppée was chosen in 1878 as archivist of the Comédie Française, an office he held till 1884. In that year, his election to the Académie française caused him to retire from all public appointments. He was made an officer of the Legion of Honour in 1888.[3]
Coppée was famed as le poète des humbles (the poet of the humble). His verse and prose focus on plain expressions of emotion, patriotism, the joy of young love, and the pitifulness of the poor.[3] Coppée continued to write plays, mostly serious dramas in verse, two of which were composed in collaboration with Armand d'Artois. The performance of a short episode of the Commune, Le Pater, was prohibited by the government in 1889. Coppée published his first prose work in 1875 and went on to publish short stories, an autobiography of his youth, a series of short articles on miscellaneous subjects, and La Bonne Souffrance, a popular account of his reconversion to the Roman Catholic Church. His conversion was due to a severe illness which twice brought him close to death.[3]
Coppée was also interested in public affairs, joining the most violent section of the Nationalist movement (while remaining contemptuous of the apparatus of democracy) and taking a leading part against Alfred Dreyfus in the Dreyfus affair.[4] He was one of the founders of the Ligue de la patrie française,[3] which originated in 1898 with three young academics, Louis Dausset, Gabriel Syveton and Henri Vaugeois, who wanted to show that Dreyfusism was not accepted by all at the University.[5] They launched a petition that attacked Émile Zola and what many saw as an internationalist, pacifist left-wing conspiracy.[6]Charles Maurras gained the interest of the writer Maurice Barrès, and the movement gained the support of three eminent personalities: the geographer Marcel Dubois, the poet François Coppée and the critic and literature professor Jules Lemaître.[5]
Criticism
The poet Arthur Rimbaud, a young contemporary of Coppée, published numerous parodies of Coppée's poetry. Rimbaud's parodies were published in L'Album Zutique (in 1871? 1872?). Most of these poems parody the style ("chatty comfortable rhymes" that were "the delight of the enlightened bourgeois of the day") and form (alexandrinecouplets arranged in ten line verses) of some short poems by Coppée.[7] Rimbaud published them under the name François Coppée.[8]
The poet Lautréamont cited his Grève de Forgerons in the list of the "penpushers" to be absolutely ignored (Poèsie, Part I).
Works
Poetry
Le Reliquaire (1866)
Intimités (1867)
Poémes modernes (among them: L'Angelus, Le Père, La Grève de forgerons) (1867-9)
Les Humbles (1872)
Le Cahier rouge (1874)
Olivier (1875)
L'Exilée (1876)
Contes en vers (1881)
Poèmes et récits (1886)
Arrière-saison (1887)
Paroles sincères (1890)
Dans la prière et la lutte
Vers français
Salut, Petit Jesus
″Pour Toujours" (1892)
A tes yeux
Plays
Le Passant (1869) Translated into Portuguese by Alves Crespo (playwright, 1847–1907) as Sonho and published in 1905.
Deux Douleurs (1870)
Fais ce que Dois (1871)
L'Abandonnée (1871)
Les Bijoux de la Délivrance (1872)
Le Rendez-Vous (1872)
Prologue d'Ouverture pour les Matinées de la Gaîté (1874)
Severo Torelli (1883) Translated into Portuguese by Jaime Victor and Macedo Papança, Visconde de Monsaraz, and performed in Lisbon at the National Theatre in 1887. Published in the same year.
Les Jacobites (1885)
Le Pater (1889) Translated into Portuguese by Margarida de Sequeira as O Pater.
Pour la couronne (1895) Translated into English by John Davidson as For the Crown and performed at the Lyceum Theatre, London, in 1896. For the Crown was performed at Covent Garden as a prize-winning opera The Cross and the Crescent with music by Colin McAlpin in 1903.
Prose works
François Coppée, by André Rouveyre.
Une Idylle pendant le siège (1874)
Toute une jeunesse (1890)
Les Vrais riches (1892)
Le Coupable (1896). Translated into portuguese by Jorge de Abreu (1874–1932) as O criminoso (Lisboa: Empresa Lusitana, 356 p.; 16 cm.; col. Selecta)
Mon franc-parler (1893–96) (articles)
La Bonne Souffrance (1898)
Works in English translation
(1890). Ten Tales.
(1893). True Riches.
(1894). Blessed Are the Poor.
(1896). Coppée and Maupassant Tales.
(1901). Tale for Christmas, and Other Seasons.
(1905). A Romance of Youth.
(1910). "A Piece of Bread," in International Short Stories.
(1915). Pater Noster.
(1915). "The Wounded Soldier in the Convent," in War Poems and Other Translations, by Lord Curzon.
^Wilson, Nelly (1978). Bernard-Lazare: Antisemitism and the Problem of Jewish Identity in Late Nineteenth-century France. Cambridge University Press, p. 191.
^Examples can be found in the collection Promenades et Intérieurs.
^Hackett, Cecil Arthur (1981). Rimbaud, a Critical Introduction. CUP Archive.
Sources
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Coppée, François Édouard Joachim". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 101–102.
Conner, Tom (2014-04-24), The Dreyfus Affair and the Rise of the French Public Intellectual, McFarland, ISBN978-0-7864-7862-0, retrieved 2016-03-08
Pierrard, Pierre (1998), Les Chrétiens et l'affaire Dreyfus, Editions de l'Atelier, ISBN978-2-7082-3390-4, retrieved 2016-03-07
Works by François Coppée at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
March 06, 2023
françois, coppée, françois, edouard, joachim, coppée, january, 1842, 1908, french, poet, novelist, nadar, 1880, bornfrançois, edouard, joachim, coppée, 1842, january, 1842paris, francedied23, 1908, 1908, aged, paris, franceoccupationwriternationalityfrenchsign. Francois Edouard Joachim Coppee 26 January 1842 23 May 1908 was a French poet and novelist Francois CoppeeFrancois Coppee by Nadar c 1880 BornFrancois Edouard Joachim Coppee 1842 01 26 26 January 1842Paris FranceDied23 May 1908 1908 05 23 aged 66 Paris FranceOccupationWriterNationalityFrenchSignature Contents 1 Biography 2 Criticism 3 Works 3 1 Poetry 3 2 Plays 3 3 Prose works 3 4 Works in English translation 4 See also 5 Notes 6 Sources 7 Further reading 8 External linksBiography EditCoppee was born in Paris to a civil servant After attending the Lycee Saint Louis he became a clerk in the ministry of war and won public favour as a poet of the Parnassian school His first printed verses date from 1864 In 1869 his Poeme modernes among others La Greve de forgerons were quite successful In the same year Coppee s first play Le Passant starring Sarah Bernhardt and Madame Agar 1 was received with approval at the Odeon theatre and later Fais ce que dois 1871 and Les Bijoux de la delivrance 1872 2 short poetic dramas inspired by the Franco Prussian War were applauded After holding a post in the library of the senate Coppee was chosen in 1878 as archivist of the Comedie Francaise an office he held till 1884 In that year his election to the Academie francaise caused him to retire from all public appointments He was made an officer of the Legion of Honour in 1888 3 Coppee was famed as le poete des humbles the poet of the humble His verse and prose focus on plain expressions of emotion patriotism the joy of young love and the pitifulness of the poor 3 Coppee continued to write plays mostly serious dramas in verse two of which were composed in collaboration with Armand d Artois The performance of a short episode of the Commune Le Pater was prohibited by the government in 1889 Coppee published his first prose work in 1875 and went on to publish short stories an autobiography of his youth a series of short articles on miscellaneous subjects and La Bonne Souffrance a popular account of his reconversion to the Roman Catholic Church His conversion was due to a severe illness which twice brought him close to death 3 Coppee was also interested in public affairs joining the most violent section of the Nationalist movement while remaining contemptuous of the apparatus of democracy and taking a leading part against Alfred Dreyfus in the Dreyfus affair 4 He was one of the founders of the Ligue de la patrie francaise 3 which originated in 1898 with three young academics Louis Dausset Gabriel Syveton and Henri Vaugeois who wanted to show that Dreyfusism was not accepted by all at the University 5 They launched a petition that attacked Emile Zola and what many saw as an internationalist pacifist left wing conspiracy 6 Charles Maurras gained the interest of the writer Maurice Barres and the movement gained the support of three eminent personalities the geographer Marcel Dubois the poet Francois Coppee and the critic and literature professor Jules Lemaitre 5 Criticism EditThe poet Arthur Rimbaud a young contemporary of Coppee published numerous parodies of Coppee s poetry Rimbaud s parodies were published in L Album Zutique in 1871 1872 Most of these poems parody the style chatty comfortable rhymes that were the delight of the enlightened bourgeois of the day and form alexandrine couplets arranged in ten line verses of some short poems by Coppee 7 Rimbaud published them under the name Francois Coppee 8 The poet Lautreamont cited his Greve de Forgerons in the list of the penpushers to be absolutely ignored Poesie Part I Works EditPoetry Edit Le Reliquaire 1866 Intimites 1867 Poemes modernes among them L Angelus Le Pere La Greve de forgerons 1867 9 Les Humbles 1872 Le Cahier rouge 1874 Olivier 1875 L Exilee 1876 Contes en vers 1881 Poemes et recits 1886 Arriere saison 1887 Paroles sinceres 1890 Dans la priere et la lutte Vers francais Salut Petit Jesus Pour Toujours 1892 A tes yeuxPlays Edit Le Passant 1869 Translated into Portuguese by Alves Crespo playwright 1847 1907 as Sonho and published in 1905 Deux Douleurs 1870 Fais ce que Dois 1871 L Abandonnee 1871 Les Bijoux de la Delivrance 1872 Le Rendez Vous 1872 Prologue d Ouverture pour les Matinees de la Gaite 1874 Le Luthier de Cremone 1876 La Guerre de Cent Ans 1877 Le Tresor 1879 La Bataille d Hernani 1880 La Maison de Moliere 1880 Madame de Maintenon 1881 Severo Torelli 1883 Translated into Portuguese by Jaime Victor and Macedo Papanca Visconde de Monsaraz and performed in Lisbon at the National Theatre in 1887 Published in the same year Les Jacobites 1885 Le Pater 1889 Translated into Portuguese by Margarida de Sequeira as O Pater Pour la couronne 1895 Translated into English by John Davidson as For the Crown and performed at the Lyceum Theatre London in 1896 For the Crown was performed at Covent Garden as a prize winning opera The Cross and the Crescent with music by Colin McAlpin in 1903 Prose works Edit Francois Coppee by Andre Rouveyre Une Idylle pendant le siege 1874 Toute une jeunesse 1890 Les Vrais riches 1892 Le Coupable 1896 Translated into portuguese by Jorge de Abreu 1874 1932 as O criminoso Lisboa Empresa Lusitana 356 p 16 cm col Selecta Mon franc parler 1893 96 articles La Bonne Souffrance 1898 Works in English translation Edit 1890 Ten Tales 1893 True Riches 1894 Blessed Are the Poor 1896 Coppee and Maupassant Tales 1901 Tale for Christmas and Other Seasons 1905 A Romance of Youth 1910 A Piece of Bread in International Short Stories 1915 Pater Noster 1915 The Wounded Soldier in the Convent in War Poems and Other Translations by Lord Curzon 1931 The Lord s Prayer See also EditOrientalismNotes Edit Bernhardt My Double Life London Heinemann 1907 Chisholm 1911 pp 101 102 a b c d Chisholm 1911 p 102 Wilson Nelly 1978 Bernard Lazare Antisemitism and the Problem of Jewish Identity in Late Nineteenth century France Cambridge University Press p 191 a b Pierrard 1998 p 180 Conner 2014 p 160 Examples can be found in the collection Promenades et Interieurs Hackett Cecil Arthur 1981 Rimbaud a Critical Introduction CUP Archive Sources Edit This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Coppee Francois Edouard Joachim Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 7 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 101 102 Conner Tom 2014 04 24 The Dreyfus Affair and the Rise of the French Public Intellectual McFarland ISBN 978 0 7864 7862 0 retrieved 2016 03 08 Pierrard Pierre 1998 Les Chretiens et l affaire Dreyfus Editions de l Atelier ISBN 978 2 7082 3390 4 retrieved 2016 03 07Further reading EditClaretie Jules 1883 Fr Coppee Paris Maison Quantin Cotte Alfred M 1886 Francois Coppee The Catholic World Vol 43 No 254 pp 196 205 Crawford Virginia M 1908 Francois Coppee The Catholic Thing Vol LXXXVIII pp 182 192 Druilhet Georges 1902 Un Poete Francais Paris Alphonse Lemerre France Anatole 1922 Francois Coppee In On Life and Letters London John Lane The Bodley Head Ltd pp 277 284 Gaubert Ernest 1906 Francois Coppee Paris E Sansot amp Cie Gauthier Ferrieres Leon Adolphe 1908 Francois Coppee et son Oeuvre Paris Societe du Mercure de France Lescure Mathurin de 1889 Francois Coppee l Homme la Vie et l Oeuvre 1842 1889 Paris Alphonse Lemerre Ransome Arthur 1913 The Retrospection of Francois Coppee In Portraits and Speculations London Macmillan amp Co pp 71 86 Reilly Joseph J 1920 Francois Coppee Once More The Catholic Thing Vol CXI pp 614 626 Schoen Henri 1909 Francois Coppee l Homme et le Poete Paris Librairie Fischbacher External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Francois Coppee Works by or about Francois Coppee at Wikisource Works by Francois Coppee at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Francois Coppee at Internet Archive Works by Francois Coppee at LibriVox public domain audiobooks Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francois Coppee amp oldid 1117251567, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
