Jean Chapelain (4 December 1595 – 22 February 1674)[1] was a French poet and critic during the Grand Siècle, best known for his role as an organizer and founding member of the Académie française. Chapelain acquired considerable prestige as a literary critic, but his own major work, an epic poem about Joan of Arc called "La Pucelle," (1656) was lampooned by his contemporary Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux.
Jean Chapelain
An anonymous portrait of Jean Chapelain
Born
(1595-12-04)4 December 1595 Paris, France
Died
22 February 1674(1674-02-22) (aged 78) Paris, France
Chapelain was born in Paris. His father wanted him to become a notary, but his mother, who had known Pierre de Ronsard, had decided otherwise.[1]
Early education
At an early age Chapelain began to qualify himself for literature, learning, under Nicolas Bourbon, Greek and Latin, and teaching himself Italian and Spanish.[1]
Tutor
Having finished his studies, Chapelain taught Spanish to a young nobleman for a short time, before being appointed tutor to the two sons of Sébastien Le Hardy, lord of la Trousse, grand-prévôt de France, Gouye de Longuemarre, ""Eclaircissemens sur un officier de la maison de nos rois, appelé roi des ribauds", in Constant Leber, ed. Collection des meilleurs dissertations, notices et traités particuliers relatifs à l'histoire de France, part V (1838:234) notes Nicolas Hardi, sieur de la Trousse, grand-prévôt de France; his son Sébastien inherited in 1595; "a M. de la Trousse, grand provost of France,".[1] Attached for the next 17 years to this family and given the responsibility of administering their fortune, he seems to have published nothing then but to have acquired a great reputation for potential.[1]
Author
His first published work was a preface for the Adone of Giambattista Marino, who printed and published that notorious poem at Paris. It was followed by a translation of Mateo Alemán's novel, Guzmán de Alfarache and by four extremely indifferent odes, one of them addressed to Cardinal Richelieu.[1]
In a conversation with Richelieu in about 1632, reported by the abbé d'Olivet, Chapelain maintained the importance of maintaining the unities of time, place and action, and it is explicitly stated that the doctrine was new to the cardinal and to the poets who were in his pay. Rewarded with a pension of a thousand crowns and from the first an active member of the newly constituted Academy, Chapelain drew up the plan of the grammar and dictionary, the compilation of which was to be a principal function of the young institution, and at Richelieu's command drew up the Sentiments de l’Académie sur le Cid.[1]
The credit of introducing the law of the dramatic unities into French literature has been claimed for many writers, and especially for the Abbé d'Aubignac, whose Pratique du théâtre appeared in 1657. Aristotle's theory had of course been enunciated in the Art poétique of Julius Caesar Scaliger in 1561, and subsequently by other writers, but undoubtedly it was the action of Chapelain that transferred it from the region of theory to that of actual practice.[1] In 1656 he published, in a magnificent format, the first twelve cantos of his celebrated epic on Joan of Arc, La Pucelle, on which he had been working for twenty years. Six editions of the poem were disposed of in eighteen months. This was the end of the poetic reputation of Chapelain, "the legist of Parnassus." Later the slashing satire of Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux resulted in Chapelain ("Le plus grand poète Français qu'ait jamais été et du plus solide jugement," as he is called in Colbert's list) taking his place among the failures of modern art.[1]
Critic
Chapelain's reputation as a critic survived, and in 1663 he was employed by Colbert to draw up an account of contemporary men of letters, destined to guide the king in his distribution of pensions. In this pamphlet, as in his letters, he shows to far greater advantage than in his unfortunate epic. His prose is incomparably better than his verse; his criticisms are remarkable for their justice and generosity; his erudition and kindliness are well-attested; the royal attention was directed alike towards the author's firmest friends and bitterest enemies. To him the young Jean Racine was indebted not only for advice, but also for the pension of six hundred livres which was so useful to him. The catholicity of Chapelain's taste is shown by his De la lecture des vieux romans (printed 1870), in which he praises the chanson de geste, forgotten by his generation.[1]
Chapelain refused many honours, and his disinterestedness makes it necessary to receive with caution the stories of Gilles Ménage and Tallemant des Réaux, who claimed that he became a miser, and that a considerable fortune was found hoarded in his apartments when he died.[1]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Chapelain, Jean". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 850–851.
March 15, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Jean Chapelain news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message Jean Chapelain 4 December 1595 22 February 1674 1 was a French poet and critic during the Grand Siecle best known for his role as an organizer and founding member of the Academie francaise Chapelain acquired considerable prestige as a literary critic but his own major work an epic poem about Joan of Arc called La Pucelle 1656 was lampooned by his contemporary Nicolas Boileau Despreaux Jean ChapelainAn anonymous portrait of Jean ChapelainBorn 1595 12 04 4 December 1595Paris FranceDied22 February 1674 1674 02 22 aged 78 Paris FranceOccupationCritic PoetNationalityFrenchPeriodGrand SiecleLiterary movementNeoclassicismNotable works Sentiments de l Academie sur le Cid La Pucelle Contents 1 Background 2 Early education 3 Tutor 4 Author 5 Critic 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksBackground EditChapelain was born in Paris His father wanted him to become a notary but his mother who had known Pierre de Ronsard had decided otherwise 1 Early education EditAt an early age Chapelain began to qualify himself for literature learning under Nicolas Bourbon Greek and Latin and teaching himself Italian and Spanish 1 Tutor EditHaving finished his studies Chapelain taught Spanish to a young nobleman for a short time before being appointed tutor to the two sons of Sebastien Le Hardy lord of la Trousse grand prevot de France Gouye de Longuemarre Eclaircissemens sur un officier de la maison de nos rois appele roi des ribauds in Constant Leber ed Collection des meilleurs dissertations notices et traites particuliers relatifs a l histoire de France part V 1838 234 notes Nicolas Hardi sieur de la Trousse grand prevot de France his son Sebastien inherited in 1595 a M de la Trousse grand provost of France 1 Attached for the next 17 years to this family and given the responsibility of administering their fortune he seems to have published nothing then but to have acquired a great reputation for potential 1 Author EditHis first published work was a preface for the Adone of Giambattista Marino who printed and published that notorious poem at Paris It was followed by a translation of Mateo Aleman s novel Guzman de Alfarache and by four extremely indifferent odes one of them addressed to Cardinal Richelieu 1 In a conversation with Richelieu in about 1632 reported by the abbe d Olivet Chapelain maintained the importance of maintaining the unities of time place and action and it is explicitly stated that the doctrine was new to the cardinal and to the poets who were in his pay Rewarded with a pension of a thousand crowns and from the first an active member of the newly constituted Academy Chapelain drew up the plan of the grammar and dictionary the compilation of which was to be a principal function of the young institution and at Richelieu s command drew up the Sentiments de l Academie sur le Cid 1 The credit of introducing the law of the dramatic unities into French literature has been claimed for many writers and especially for the Abbe d Aubignac whose Pratique du theatre appeared in 1657 Aristotle s theory had of course been enunciated in the Art poetique of Julius Caesar Scaliger in 1561 and subsequently by other writers but undoubtedly it was the action of Chapelain that transferred it from the region of theory to that of actual practice 1 In 1656 he published in a magnificent format the first twelve cantos of his celebrated epic on Joan of Arc La Pucelle on which he had been working for twenty years Six editions of the poem were disposed of in eighteen months This was the end of the poetic reputation of Chapelain the legist of Parnassus Later the slashing satire of Nicolas Boileau Despreaux resulted in Chapelain Le plus grand poete Francais qu ait jamais ete et du plus solide jugement as he is called in Colbert s list taking his place among the failures of modern art 1 Critic EditChapelain s reputation as a critic survived and in 1663 he was employed by Colbert to draw up an account of contemporary men of letters destined to guide the king in his distribution of pensions In this pamphlet as in his letters he shows to far greater advantage than in his unfortunate epic His prose is incomparably better than his verse his criticisms are remarkable for their justice and generosity his erudition and kindliness are well attested the royal attention was directed alike towards the author s firmest friends and bitterest enemies To him the young Jean Racine was indebted not only for advice but also for the pension of six hundred livres which was so useful to him The catholicity of Chapelain s taste is shown by his De la lecture des vieux romans printed 1870 in which he praises the chanson de geste forgotten by his generation 1 Chapelain refused many honours and his disinterestedness makes it necessary to receive with caution the stories of Gilles Menage and Tallemant des Reaux who claimed that he became a miser and that a considerable fortune was found hoarded in his apartments when he died 1 See also Edit Poetry portalGuirlande de JulieReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Chapelain Jean Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 5 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 850 851 Further reading EditGeorge Saintsbury s History of Criticism ii 256 261 a very favourable assessment of Chapelain as a critic Robert Southey s Joan of Arc an analysis of La Pucelle is given on pp 23 79 Les Lettres de Jean Chapelain ed Philippe Tamizey de Larroque 1880 1882 Lettres inedites a P D Huet 1658 1673 ed by Leon Gabriel Pelissier 1894 Julien Duchesne Les Poemes epiques du XVIIe siecle 1870 Antonin Fabre Les Ennemis de Chapelain 1888 Chapelain et nos deux premieres Academies 1890 Alois Muhlan Jean Chapelain 1893 External links EditWorks by or about Jean Chapelain at Internet Archive This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Chapelain Jean Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 5 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 850 851 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jean Chapelain amp oldid 1110508223, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
