Jules Janin
Encyclopedia
Jules Gabriel Janin was a French writer and critic
.
(Loire
), Janin's father was a lawyer
, and he was educated first at St. Étienne, and then at the lycée Louis-le-Grand
in Paris
. He involved himself in journalism
from an early date, and worked on the Figaro
and the Quotidienne, among others, until in 1830 he became dramatic critic of the Journal des Débats
. Long before, however, he had made a literary reputation for himself, publishing novels such as L'âne mort et la Femme guillotinée ("The Dead Donkey and the Guillotined Woman") (1829). La Confession (1830) followed, and then in Barnave
(1831), he attacked the Orléans
family.
From the day, however, when Janin became the theatrical critic of the Débats, though he continued to write books, he was most notable in France as a dramatic critic.
Janin authored the text for the song Chant des chemins de fer by Hector Berlioz
, a fellow critic at the Débats.
After many years of feuilleton
writing he collected some of his articles in the work called Histoire de la littérature dramatique en France (1853-1858). In 1865 he made his first attempt upon the Academy, but was not successful till five years later. Meanwhile he had not been content with his feuilletons, written persistently about all manner of things. No one was more in request with the Paris publishers for preface
s, letterpress to illustrated books and suchlike.
Janin travelled (picking up in one of his journeys a country house at Lucca
in a lottery), and wrote accounts of his travels; he wrote numerous tales and novels, and composed many other works, including Fin d'un monde et du neveu de Rameau (1861), in which, under the guise of a sequel to Diderot
's work, he showed his familiarity with the late 18th century. He married in 1841. In the early part of his career he had many quarrels, notably one with Felix Pyat
(1810-1889), whom he prosecuted successfully for defamation of character. For the most part his work was improvisation, noted for its light and vivid style. His Œuvres choisies (12 vols., 1875-1878) were edited by A de la Fitzelière.
A study on Janin with a bibliography was published by Auguste Piédagnel in 1874. See also Sainte-Beuve
, Causeries du lundi, ii. and v., and Gustave Planche, Portraits littéraires.
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
.
Biography
Born in Saint-ÉtienneSaint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
(Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
), Janin's father was a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, and he was educated first at St. Étienne, and then at the lycée Louis-le-Grand
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
The Lycée Louis-le-Grand is a public secondary school located in Paris, widely regarded as one of the most rigorous in France. Formerly known as the Collège de Clermont, it was named in king Louis XIV of France's honor after he visited the school and offered his patronage.It offers both a...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He involved himself in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
from an early date, and worked on the Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
and the Quotidienne, among others, until in 1830 he became dramatic critic of the Journal des Débats
Journal des Débats
The Journal des débats was a French newspaper, published between 1789 and 1944 that changed title several times...
. Long before, however, he had made a literary reputation for himself, publishing novels such as L'âne mort et la Femme guillotinée ("The Dead Donkey and the Guillotined Woman") (1829). La Confession (1830) followed, and then in Barnave
Barnave
Barnave can refer to:* Antoine Pierre Joseph Marie Barnave , French politician* Barnave, Drôme, a commune of the Drôme département in France...
(1831), he attacked the Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
family.
From the day, however, when Janin became the theatrical critic of the Débats, though he continued to write books, he was most notable in France as a dramatic critic.
Janin authored the text for the song Chant des chemins de fer by Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
, a fellow critic at the Débats.
After many years of feuilleton
Feuilleton
Feuilleton was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criticism, a chronicle of the latest fashions, and epigrams, charades and other literary trifles...
writing he collected some of his articles in the work called Histoire de la littérature dramatique en France (1853-1858). In 1865 he made his first attempt upon the Academy, but was not successful till five years later. Meanwhile he had not been content with his feuilletons, written persistently about all manner of things. No one was more in request with the Paris publishers for preface
Preface
A preface is an introduction to a book or other literary work written by the work's author. An introductory essay written by a different person is a foreword and precedes an author's preface...
s, letterpress to illustrated books and suchlike.
Janin travelled (picking up in one of his journeys a country house at Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
in a lottery), and wrote accounts of his travels; he wrote numerous tales and novels, and composed many other works, including Fin d'un monde et du neveu de Rameau (1861), in which, under the guise of a sequel to Diderot
Denis Diderot
Denis Diderot was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer. He was a prominent person during the Enlightenment and is best known for serving as co-founder and chief editor of and contributor to the Encyclopédie....
's work, he showed his familiarity with the late 18th century. He married in 1841. In the early part of his career he had many quarrels, notably one with Felix Pyat
Félix Pyat
Félix Pyat was a French Socialist journalist and politician.-Biography:He was born in Vierzon , the son of a Legitimist lawyer. Called to the bar in Paris in 1831, he threw his whole energies into journalism...
(1810-1889), whom he prosecuted successfully for defamation of character. For the most part his work was improvisation, noted for its light and vivid style. His Œuvres choisies (12 vols., 1875-1878) were edited by A de la Fitzelière.
A study on Janin with a bibliography was published by Auguste Piédagnel in 1874. See also Sainte-Beuve
Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve
Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve was a literary critic and one of the major figures of French literary history.-Early years:...
, Causeries du lundi, ii. and v., and Gustave Planche, Portraits littéraires.
Works
- The Dead Donkey and the Guillotined Woman (English translation ed. by Terry Hale, Gargoyle, 1993)