Lemarcier was born in Paris. His father had been intendant successively to the duc de Penthièvre, the comte de Toulouse and the unfortunate princesse de Lamballe, who was the boy's godmother. Lemercier was a prodigy; before he was sixteen his tragedy of Méléagre was produced at the Théâtre Français. Clarisse Harlowe (1792) provoked the criticism that the author was "pas assez roué pour peindre les roueries" (not enough scamp to depict scamp tricks.) Le Tartufe révolutionnaire a parody full of bold political allusions, was suppressed after the fifth performance.
In 1795, Lemercier's masterpiece Agamemnon, called by Charles Lafitte the last great antique tragedy in French literature, was produced. It was a great success, but was violently attacked later by Julien Louis Geoffroy who stigmatized it as a bad caricature of Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon. Les quatre métamorphoses (1799) was written to prove that the most indecent subjects might be treated without offence. The Pinto (1800) was the result of a wager that no further dramatic innovations were possible after the comedies of Pierre Beaumarchais. It is a historical comedy on the subject of the Portuguese Revolution of 1640. This play was construed as casting reflections on the first consul Napoleon, who had hitherto been a firm friend of the avowed republican Lemercier. His extreme freedom of speech finally offended Napoleon, and the quarrel proved disastrous to Lemercier's fortune for the time. [1] In 1803, he earned a severe disappointment on the première of his tragedy Isule et Orovèse which was widely ridiculed and hooted by the public; consequently, at the beginning of the third act Lemercier withdrew his manuscript. He published his text with annoted “hootings” in order to pay deference to his public.[2]
None of his subsequent work fulfilled the expectations raised by Agamemnon, with the exception perhaps of Frédégonde et Brunehaut (1821). In 1810, he was elected to the Académie française, where he consistently opposed the romanticists, refusing to vote for Victor Hugo – who was to succeed him in the fauteuil 14.[3] In spite of this, he has some pretensions to be considered the earliest of the romantic school. His Christophe Colomb (1809), advertised on the play-bill as a comédie shakespérienne [sic], represented the interior of a ship, and showed no respect for the classical unities. Its numerous innovations provoked such violent disturbances in the audience that one person was killed and future representations had to be guarded by the police.
Lemercier wrote four long and ambitious epic poems: Homère, Alexandre (1801), L'Atlantiade ou la théogonie newtonienne (1812) and Moïse (1823), as well as an extraordinary Panhypocrisiade (1819–1832), a distinctly romantic production in sixteen cantos, which has the sub-title Spectacle infernal du XVIe siècle. In it 16th century history, with Charles V and Francis I as principal personages, is played out on an imaginary stage by demons in the intervals of their sufferings.
Lemercier died on 7 June 1840 in Paris.[1] He had composed his own epitaph as follows: « Il fut homme de bien et cultiva les lettres. » (“He was a gentleman and a man of letters.”)
Worksedit
Theatreedit
1788: Méléagre, tragedy in 5 acts
1792: Clarisse Harlowe, drama, in verse
1795: Le Tartufe révolutionnaire, comedy in 5 acts, in verse
1798: Ophis, tragedy in 5 acts, presented at the Théâtre de la République 2 nivôse an VII
1800: Pinto, ou la Journée d'une conspiration, historical comedy, created at the Théâtre de la République 1 germinal an VIII (22 March)
1803: Isule et Orovèse, tragedy in 5 acts
1808: Baudouin, empereur, tragedy in 3 acts
1808: Plaute ou la Comédie latine, comedy in 3 acts, in verse, presented at the Comédie-Française, 20 January
1809: Christophe Colomb, historical comedy in 3 acts, in verse, presented at the Théâtre de S. M. l'Impératrice et Reine, 7 March
1816: Charlemagne, tragedy in 5 acts, presented at the Comédie-Française, 27 June
1816: Le Frère et la Sœur jumeaux, comedy in 3 acts, in verse, presented at the Théâtre de l'Odéon, 7 November
1817: Le Faux bonhomme, comedy in 3 acts tombée dès le commencement du 3e act, presented at the Théâtre français, 25 January
1817: Le Complot domestique, ou le Maniaque supposé, comedy in 3 acts and in verse, presented at the Théâtre de l'Odéon, 16 June
1818: Ismaël au désert ou l'origine du peuple arabe, scène orientale en vers (1801), presented at the Théâtre de l'Odéon 23 January (under the title Agar et Ismaël, ou l'Origine du peuple arabe)
1820: La Démence de Charles VI, tragedy in 5 acts, meant ti be presented at the Théâtre de l'Odéon 25 September
1820: Clovis, tragedy in 5 acts
1821: Frédégonde et Brunehaut, tragedy in 5 acts, presented at the Second Théâtre français 27 March
1821: Louis IX en Égypte, tragedy in 5 acts, presented at the Second Théâtre français, 5 August
1822: Le Corrupteur, comedy in 5 acts and in verse, completed 22 November, presented at the Second Théâtre-Français, 26 November
1823: Dame Censure, ou la Corruptrice, tragi-comedy in 1 act and in prose
1824: Richard III et Jeanne Shore, historical drama in 5 acts and in verse, imitated from Shakespeare and Rowe
1825: Les Martyrs de Souli, ou l'Épire moderne, tragedy in 5 acts, inspired by the writings of François Pouqueville.
1826: Camille, ou le Capitole sauvé, tragédy in 5 acts
1828: L'Ostracisme, comedy
Richelieu ou la journée des dupes, comedy in 5 acts, in verse
1808: Essais poétiques sur la théorie Newtonienne tirés de l'Atlantiade [...] - Paris : Collin
1812: L'Atlantiade ou la théogonie newtonienne, poème en 6 chants: Bizarre poème didactique où des divinités allégoriques représentent le calorique, l'oxygène, le phosphore, etc.
1812: Ode sur le doute des vrais philosophes
1814: Épître à Bonaparte sur le bonheur de la vertu
1814: Épître à Bonaparte, sur le bruit répandu qu'il projetait d'écrire des commentaires historiques
1815: Réflexions d'un Français, sur une partie factieuse de l'armée française
1818: La Mérovéide ou les champs catalauniques, poème en 14 chants
1818: Du Second Théâtre-français, ou Instruction relative à la déclamation dramatique
1819: La Panhypocrisiade ou la comédie infernale du XVIe siècle, poème en 16 chants
1819 and 1823: Moïse, poem
1820: Cours analytique de littérature générale, 4 vol. : collection of lessons given at the Athénée from 1811 to 1814.
1820: Chant pythique sur l'alliance européenne
1820: Ode à notre âge analytique
1823: Le Paysan albigeois
1824–1825: Chants héroïques des montagnards et matelots grecs, translated into French verse
Ode à la mémoire du Comte de Souza
Almînti, ou le Mariage sacrilège, physiological novel
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lemercier, Louis Jean Népomucéne". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
February 27, 2024
népomucène, lemercier, louis, jean, april, 1771, june, 1840, french, poet, playwright, born, 1771, april, 1771parisdied7, june, 1840, 1840, aged, nationalityfrenchoccupation, playwright, poetknown, foragamemnon, contents, life, works, theatre, poems, varia, re. Louis Jean Nepomucene Lemercier 20 April 1771 7 June 1840 was a French poet and playwright Nepomucene LemercierBorn 1771 04 20 20 April 1771ParisDied7 June 1840 1840 06 07 aged 69 NationalityFrenchOccupation s Playwright poetKnown forAgamemnon Contents 1 Life 2 Works 2 1 Theatre 2 2 Poems and varia 3 References 4 External linksLife editLemarcier was born in Paris His father had been intendant successively to the duc de Penthievre the comte de Toulouse and the unfortunate princesse de Lamballe who was the boy s godmother Lemercier was a prodigy before he was sixteen his tragedy of Meleagre was produced at the Theatre Francais Clarisse Harlowe 1792 provoked the criticism that the author was pas assez roue pour peindre les roueries not enough scamp to depict scamp tricks Le Tartufe revolutionnaire a parody full of bold political allusions was suppressed after the fifth performance In 1795 Lemercier s masterpiece Agamemnon called by Charles Lafitte the last great antique tragedy in French literature was produced It was a great success but was violently attacked later by Julien Louis Geoffroy who stigmatized it as a bad caricature of Prosper Jolyot de Crebillon Les quatre metamorphoses 1799 was written to prove that the most indecent subjects might be treated without offence The Pinto 1800 was the result of a wager that no further dramatic innovations were possible after the comedies of Pierre Beaumarchais It is a historical comedy on the subject of the Portuguese Revolution of 1640 This play was construed as casting reflections on the first consul Napoleon who had hitherto been a firm friend of the avowed republican Lemercier His extreme freedom of speech finally offended Napoleon and the quarrel proved disastrous to Lemercier s fortune for the time 1 In 1803 he earned a severe disappointment on the premiere of his tragedy Isule et Orovese which was widely ridiculed and hooted by the public consequently at the beginning of the third act Lemercier withdrew his manuscript He published his text with annoted hootings in order to pay deference to his public 2 None of his subsequent work fulfilled the expectations raised by Agamemnon with the exception perhaps of Fredegonde et Brunehaut 1821 In 1810 he was elected to the Academie francaise where he consistently opposed the romanticists refusing to vote for Victor Hugo who was to succeed him in the fauteuil 14 3 In spite of this he has some pretensions to be considered the earliest of the romantic school His Christophe Colomb 1809 advertised on the play bill as a comedie shakesperienne sic represented the interior of a ship and showed no respect for the classical unities Its numerous innovations provoked such violent disturbances in the audience that one person was killed and future representations had to be guarded by the police Lemercier wrote four long and ambitious epic poems Homere Alexandre 1801 L Atlantiade ou la theogonie newtonienne 1812 and Moise 1823 as well as an extraordinary Panhypocrisiade 1819 1832 a distinctly romantic production in sixteen cantos which has the sub title Spectacle infernal du XVIe siecle In it 16th century history with Charles V and Francis I as principal personages is played out on an imaginary stage by demons in the intervals of their sufferings Lemercier died on 7 June 1840 in Paris 1 He had composed his own epitaph as follows Il fut homme de bien et cultiva les lettres He was a gentleman and a man of letters Works editTheatre edit 1788 Meleagre tragedy in 5 acts 1792 Clarisse Harlowe drama in verse 1795 Le Tartufe revolutionnaire comedy in 5 acts in verse 1796 Le Levite d Ephraim tragedy in 3 acts 1797 Agamemnon tragedy in 5 acts presented at the Theatre de la Republique 5 floreal an V 24 April 1797 La Prude comedy 1798 Ophis tragedy in 5 acts presented at the Theatre de la Republique 2 nivose an VII 1800 Pinto ou la Journee d une conspiration historical comedy created at the Theatre de la Republique 1 germinal an VIII 22 March 1803 Isule et Orovese tragedy in 5 acts 1808 Baudouin empereur tragedy in 3 acts 1808 Plaute ou la Comedie latine comedy in 3 acts in verse presented at the Comedie Francaise 20 January 1809 Christophe Colomb historical comedy in 3 acts in verse presented at the Theatre de S M l Imperatrice et Reine 7 March 1816 Charlemagne tragedy in 5 acts presented at the Comedie Francaise 27 June 1816 Le Frere et la Sœur jumeaux comedy in 3 acts in verse presented at the Theatre de l Odeon 7 November 1817 Le Faux bonhomme comedy in 3 acts tombee des le commencement du 3e act presented at the Theatre francais 25 January 1817 Le Complot domestique ou le Maniaque suppose comedy in 3 acts and in verse presented at the Theatre de l Odeon 16 June 1818 Ismael au desert ou l origine du peuple arabe scene orientale en vers 1801 presented at the Theatre de l Odeon 23 January under the title Agar et Ismael ou l Origine du peuple arabe 1820 La Demence de Charles VI tragedy in 5 acts meant ti be presented at the Theatre de l Odeon 25 September 1820 Clovis tragedy in 5 acts 1821 Fredegonde et Brunehaut tragedy in 5 acts presented at the Second Theatre francais 27 March 1821 Louis IX en Egypte tragedy in 5 acts presented at the Second Theatre francais 5 August 1822 Le Corrupteur comedy in 5 acts and in verse completed 22 November presented at the Second Theatre Francais 26 November 1823 Dame Censure ou la Corruptrice tragi comedy in 1 act and in prose 1824 Richard III et Jeanne Shore historical drama in 5 acts and in verse imitated from Shakespeare and Rowe 1825 Les Martyrs de Souli ou l Epire moderne tragedy in 5 acts inspired by the writings of Francois Pouqueville 1826 Camille ou le Capitole sauve tragedy in 5 acts 1828 L Ostracisme comedy Richelieu ou la journee des dupes comedy in 5 acts in verse 1835 L Heroine de Montpellier melodrama in 5 acts presented at the Theatre de la Porte Saint Martin 7 November 1827 Les Deux filles spectres melodrama in 3 acts and in prose represente au theatre de la Porte Saint Martin 8 Novembre 1830 Les serfs polonais melodrama in 3 acts presented at the Theatre de l Ambigu 15 June Poems and varia edit 1789 Epitre d un prisonnier delivre de la Bastille 1798 Les Quatre Metamorphoses 1800 Homere poem 1800 Alexandre poem 1801 Les Trois fanatiques poem 1802 Un de mes songes ou quelques vers sur Paris 1803 Les Ages francais poeme en 15 chants 1804 Herologues ou Chants des poetes rois 1804 L Homme renouvele recit moral en vers 1806 Traduction des Vers dores de Pythagoras et de deux idylles de Theocritus 1806 Discours de la nature 1807 Epitre a Talma 1808 Essais poetiques sur la theorie Newtonienne tires de l Atlantiade Paris Collin 1812 L Atlantiade ou la theogonie newtonienne poeme en 6 chants Bizarre poeme didactique ou des divinites allegoriques representent le calorique l oxygene le phosphore etc 1812 Ode sur le doute des vrais philosophes 1814 Epitre a Bonaparte sur le bonheur de la vertu 1814 Epitre a Bonaparte sur le bruit repandu qu il projetait d ecrire des commentaires historiques 1815 Reflexions d un Francais sur une partie factieuse de l armee francaise 1818 La Meroveide ou les champs catalauniques poeme en 14 chants 1818 Du Second Theatre francais ou Instruction relative a la declamation dramatique 1819 La Panhypocrisiade ou la comedie infernale du XVIe siecle poeme en 16 chants 1819 and 1823 Moise poem 1820 Cours analytique de litterature generale 4 vol collection of lessons given at the Athenee from 1811 to 1814 1820 Chant pythique sur l alliance europeenne 1820 Ode a notre age analytique 1823 Le Paysan albigeois 1824 1825 Chants heroiques des montagnards et matelots grecs translated into French verse Ode a la memoire du Comte de Souza Alminti ou le Mariage sacrilege physiological novel Ode a l hymen set in music by Luigi Cherubini Ode sur la Melpomene des FrancaisReferences edit a b Chisholm 1911 Original edition of Isule et Orovese 1803 Site of the Academie francaiseExternal links editNepomucene Lemercier on data bnf fr nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Lemercier Louis Jean Nepomucene Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 16 11th ed Cambridge University Press Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nepomucene Lemercier amp oldid 1088183197, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
