Pierre Lasserre
Encyclopedia
Pierre Lasserre was a French literary critic, journalist and essayist. He became Director of the École des Hautes-Études.
He was an agrégé in philosophy, contemporary with Henri Vaugeois
and Louis Dimier. As a young man he was a strong nationalist and anti-Dreyfusard. He was the leading literary critic of Action française
, and author of the first work on Charles Maurras
. Along with Georges Valois
, Lasserre was one of the first to work to incorporate Nietzschean themes into neoroyalism.
, which he tied to the ideals of the French Revolution
. He upheld a controversial thesis on this topic in 1907, on French Romanticism, at the University of Paris
. Part of his general argument, that the French romantics had damaged the concept of monarchy, was influenced from the side of the Action française and Maurras. This strand of anti-romanticism, close to that of the essayist Ernest Seillière
and the counter-revolutionary tradition, later had an impact on Carl Schmitt
and his Politische Romantik of 1921.
Up to World War I
, Lasserre was a militant, associating with Charles Péguy
and digesting the ideas of Georges Sorel
. He opposed the trend of modernisation in the university system, supporting classical and humane studies. His colleagues Henri Massis
and Alfred de Tarde, equally, were concerned at the perceived falling away of classics at the Sorbonne
.
In 1914, Lasserre broke with Charles Maurras and the Action française. Others in the circle had made much of a crude form of his arguments on romanticism: Louis Reynaud, had claimed German Romanticism
as corrupting of contemporary French culture, where Lasserre was if anything Germanophile, and not a subscriber to the nationalist line of the Action française.
He subsequently followed an orthodox academic career.
He was an agrégé in philosophy, contemporary with Henri Vaugeois
Henri Vaugeois
Henri Vaugeois was a French far right politician and one of the founders of Action Française.Born in L'Aigle, Orne, Vaugeois settled in Coulommiers where he taught philosophy. Initially a republican liberal, Vaugeois even flirted with Marxism in his youth...
and Louis Dimier. As a young man he was a strong nationalist and anti-Dreyfusard. He was the leading literary critic of Action française
Action Française
The Action Française , founded in 1898, is a French Monarchist counter-revolutionary movement and periodical founded by Maurice Pujo and Henri Vaugeois and whose principal ideologist was Charles Maurras...
, and author of the first work on Charles Maurras
Charles Maurras
Charles-Marie-Photius Maurras was a French author, poet, and critic. He was a leader and principal thinker of Action Française, a political movement that was monarchist, anti-parliamentarist, and counter-revolutionary. Maurras' ideas greatly influenced National Catholicism and "nationalisme...
. Along with Georges Valois
Georges Valois
Georges Valois was a French journalist and politician.-Life and career:Born in a working-class and peasant family, Georges Valois went to Singapore at the age of 17, returning to Paris in 1898. In his early years he was an Anarcho-syndicalist...
, Lasserre was one of the first to work to incorporate Nietzschean themes into neoroyalism.
Life
Lasserre defended neo-classicism against romanticismRomanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
, which he tied to the ideals of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. He upheld a controversial thesis on this topic in 1907, on French Romanticism, at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. Part of his general argument, that the French romantics had damaged the concept of monarchy, was influenced from the side of the Action française and Maurras. This strand of anti-romanticism, close to that of the essayist Ernest Seillière
Ernest Seillière
Ernest-Antoine Seillière was a French writer, journalist and critic.-Life:He was born in Paris, the son of Aimé Seillière and Marie de Laborde. He studied at theÉcole polytechnique...
and the counter-revolutionary tradition, later had an impact on Carl Schmitt
Carl Schmitt
Carl Schmitt was a German jurist, philosopher, political theorist, and professor of law.Schmitt published several essays, influential in the 20th century and beyond, on the mentalities that surround the effective wielding of political power...
and his Politische Romantik of 1921.
Up to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Lasserre was a militant, associating with Charles Péguy
Charles Péguy
Charles Péguy was a noted French poet, essayist, and editor. His two main philosophies were socialism and nationalism, but by 1908 at the latest, after years of uneasy agnosticism, he had become a devout but non-practicing Roman Catholic.From that time, Catholicism strongly influenced his...
and digesting the ideas of Georges Sorel
Georges Sorel
Georges Eugène Sorel was a French philosopher and theorist of revolutionary syndicalism. His notion of the power of myth in people's lives inspired Marxists and Fascists. It is, together with his defense of violence, the contribution for which he is most often remembered. Oron J...
. He opposed the trend of modernisation in the university system, supporting classical and humane studies. His colleagues Henri Massis
Henri Massis
Henri Massis was a French essayist, literary critic and literary historian.- Works :* Comment Émile Zola composait ses romans, 1905. * Le Puits de Pyrrhon, 1907.* La Pensée de Maurice Barrès, 1909...
and Alfred de Tarde, equally, were concerned at the perceived falling away of classics at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
.
In 1914, Lasserre broke with Charles Maurras and the Action française. Others in the circle had made much of a crude form of his arguments on romanticism: Louis Reynaud, had claimed German Romanticism
German Romanticism
For the general context, see Romanticism.In the philosophy, art, and culture of German-speaking countries, German Romanticism was the dominant movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. German Romanticism developed relatively late compared to its English counterpart, coinciding in its...
as corrupting of contemporary French culture, where Lasserre was if anything Germanophile, and not a subscriber to the nationalist line of the Action française.
He subsequently followed an orthodox academic career.
Works
- La Crise chrétienne. Questions d'aujourd'hui, Paris, Perrin, 1891.
- Charles Maurras et la Renaissance classique, Paris, Mercure de France, 1902.
- Les Idées de Nietzsche sur la musique, Paris, Mercure de France, 1905.
- Le Romantisme français. Essai sur la révolution dans les sentiments et dans les idées au XIXe siècle. Thèse présentée à la Faculté des lettres de l'Université de Paris, Paris, Mercure de France, 1907.
- Le crime de Biodos, Paris, Plon-Nourrit et Cie, [1912].
- (with René de Marans), La Doctrine officielle de l'Université. Critique du haut enseignement de l'État. Défense et théorie des humanités classiques, Paris, Mercure de France, 1912.
- Le Germanisme et l'esprit humain, Paris, Champion, 1915.
- Frédéric Mistral. Poète, moraliste, citoyen, Paris, Payot, 1918.
- Les chapelles littéraires : Claudel, Jammes, Péguy, Paris, Garnier et frères, 1920.
- Cinquante ans de pensée française. Le Germanisme et l'esprit humain. Virgile et la guerre. L'École de l'art pour l'art. La Poésie française et le Midi. Les Humanités classiques et la vie nationale, Paris, Plon-Nourrit et Cie, 1922.
- Mes routes, Paris, Plon-Nourrit et Cie, 1924.
- La Jeunesse d'Ernest Renan. Histoire de la crise religieuse au XIXe siècle, Paris, Garnier et frères, 1925.
- La Statue volée. Méditations, Paris, Le Divan, 1927.
- Des romantiques à nous, Paris, La Nouvelle revue critique, 1927.
- Georges Sorel. Théoricien de l'impérialisme: ses idées, son action, Paris, L’Artisan du livre, 1928.
- Faust en France et autres études, Paris, Calmann-Lévy, 1929.
- « Préface », Édouard Krakowski, Une philosophie de l'amour et de la beauté. L'Esthétique de Plotin et son influence, Paris, E. de Boccard, 1929.
- Trente années de vie littéraire. Pages choisies par A. Bilis, préface d'André BellessortAndré BellessortAndré Bellessort was a French writer.-Biography:Bellessort was a not only a poet and essayist but also a traveller who went to Chile, Bolivia and Japan....
, Paris, Prométhée, 1929. - Un conflit religieux au XIIe siècle. Abélard contre saint Bernard, Paris, L’Artisan du livre, 1930.
- Mise au point, Paris, L’Artisan du livre, 1931.
- Philosophie du goût musical. Nouvelle édition, suivie de trois études sur Grétry. Rameau, Wagner, Paris, Calmann-Lévy, 1931.
- Lourdes, Saint Sever, D. Chabas, « Villes du sud-ouest », 1933.
External links
- Alain Raison, "Pierre Lasserre. Le romantisme français" (partisan article ), in Action française 2000. Action française, official sitehttp://www.actionfrancaise.net/modele.php?url=projet/tresor/lasserre_romantisme_francais.php