Prosper Jolyot de CrĂ©billon (13 January, 1674 â 17 June, 1762) was a French writer known for his poetry and tragedies.
Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon image courtesy of https://www.larousse.fr/
Works by, or about, Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon*
Fun Facts about Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon:
- Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon was born in Dijon, France. His father, Melchior Jolyot was a notary-royal.
- He became an advocate (barrister or a solicitor) after graduating from the College of the Four Nations (CollĂšge des Quatre-Nations, or CollĂšge Mazarin after its founder Cardinal Jules Mazarin, who played a major character in Alexandre Dumaâs novel Twenty Years After and other fictional works), one of the colleges of the old University of Paris.
- At the office of Prieur, a Parisian lawyer, de Crébillon was able to write plays with the encouragement of his employer.
- During this time, the future writer met several Parisian literary figures at café Laurent, which greatly influenced him.
- During the years 1705 â 1717 he wrote several plays. Some were produced, and others were complete failures. At that time, he also wrote and produced Rhadamiste et ZĂ©nobie (1711), a tragedy in five acts, which is considered to be his masterpiece.
- The writer married a poor woman in 1707, however, she died leaving him with two young children (one of them, Claude Prosper Jolyot de CrĂ©billon, became a novelist know for his satires of 18th Century French high society). Insolvent after his fatherâs death, and in severe depression, Prosper Jolyot de CrĂ©billon surrounded himself with dogs, cats, and birds, abandoned personal hygiene, cleanliness, and smoked heavily.
- The big comeback of de Crébillon was in 1726 when his play Pyrrhus found great success.
- Until his death, the writer found respect, success, and honorifics. He was elected to the Académie française in 1731, appointed royal censor in 1735.
- In 1745 got a post in the royal library along with a 1,000 franc pension presented to him by Madame de Pompadour, a beloved mistress, friend, and influential advisor of King Louis XV. Madame de Pompadour was a patron of the arts and an influential persona who helped shape important aspects of the French Enlightenment.
- During his lifetime, many people considered Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon a better tragic poet than Voltaire.
Works by, or about, Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon*
Zohar â Man of la Book
*AmaÂzon links point to an affilÂiÂate account, the money is usually spent on books
Sources:
- Cardinal Jules Mazarin, Favorite of King Louis XIV of France
- CollĂšge des Quatre-Nations
- Crébillon, Prosper Jolyot, Sieur de
- Claude Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon
- The Life of Madame de Pompadour, Royal Mistress and Advisor
- Madame de Pompadour Was Far More Than a âMistressâ
- Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon
- Prosper Jolyot De Crebillon â Encyclopedia
- Rhadamiste et ZĂ©nobie
--- Please like and follow ManOfLaBook.com ---
Summary
Article Name
Fun Facts Friday: Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon
Description
Prosper Jolyot de CrĂ©billon (13 January, 1674 â 17 June, 1762) was a French writer known for his poetry and tragedies, many consider him a better tragic poet than Voltaire
Author
Man of la Book
Publisher Name
Man of la Book - A Bookish Blog
Publisher Logo
No Comments