Jules Lemaître
Encyclopedia
François Élie Jules Lemaître (27 April 1853 - 4 August 1914), was a French
critic
and dramatist.
He was born at Vennecy
(Loiret
). He became a professor at the university of Grenoble
, but was already well known for his literary criticism
, and in 1884 he resigned his position to devote his time to literature. He succeeded Jean-Jacques Weiss as drama critic of the Journal des Débats
, and subsequently filled the same office on the Revue des Deux Mondes
. His literary studies were collected under the title of Les Contemporains (7 series, 1886-1899), and his dramatic feuilletons as impressions de théàtre (10 series, 1888-1898).
His sketches of modern authors show great insight and unexpected judgment as well as gaiety and originality of expression. He published two volumes of poetry
: Les Médaillons (1880) and Petites orientales (1883); also some volumes of contes, among them En marge des vieux livres (1905). His plays are:
He was admitted to the French Academy on 16 January 1896. His political views were defined in La Campagne nationaliste (1902), lectures delivered in the provinces by him and by Godefroy Cavaignac
. He conducted a nationalist campaign in the Écho de Paris, and was for some time president of the Ligue de la Patrie Française, but resigned in 1904, and dedicated the rest of his life to writing.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
critic
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...
and dramatist.
He was born at Vennecy
Vennecy
Vennecy is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France....
(Loiret
Loiret
Loiret is a department in north-central FranceThe department is named after the river Loiret, a tributary of the Loire. The Loiret is located wholly within the department.- History :...
). He became a professor at the university of Grenoble
University of Grenoble
University of Grenoble or Grenoble University was a university in Grenoble, France until 1970, when it was split into several different institutions:...
, but was already well known for his literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
, and in 1884 he resigned his position to devote his time to literature. He succeeded Jean-Jacques Weiss as drama 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...
, and subsequently filled the same office on the Revue des Deux Mondes
Revue des deux mondes
The Revue des deux Mondes is a French language monthly literary and cultural affairs magazine that has been published in Paris since 1829....
. His literary studies were collected under the title of Les Contemporains (7 series, 1886-1899), and his dramatic feuilletons as impressions de théàtre (10 series, 1888-1898).
His sketches of modern authors show great insight and unexpected judgment as well as gaiety and originality of expression. He published two volumes of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
: Les Médaillons (1880) and Petites orientales (1883); also some volumes of contes, among them En marge des vieux livres (1905). His plays are:
- Révoltée (1889)
- Le député Leveau, and Le Mariage blanc (1891)
- Les Rois (1893)
- Le Pardon and L'Age difficile (1895)
- La Massière (1905)
- Bertnade (1906)
He was admitted to the French Academy on 16 January 1896. His political views were defined in La Campagne nationaliste (1902), lectures delivered in the provinces by him and by Godefroy Cavaignac
Jacques Marie Eugène Godefroy Cavaignac
Jacques Marie Eugène Godefroy Cavaignac , known as Godefroy Cavaignac, French politician, was born in Paris. He was the son of Louis Eugène Cavaignac...
. He conducted a nationalist campaign in the Écho de Paris, and was for some time president of the Ligue de la Patrie Française, but resigned in 1904, and dedicated the rest of his life to writing.