Gauthier de Costes, seigneur de la Calprenède
Gautier de Costes, sieur de La Calprenède (* 1609-1614, often called 1610, Château de Tolgou at Sarlat, † October 15, 1663 in Le Grand- Andely ) was a French writer.
La Calprenède (as in the history of literature is called ) came to his school days in Cahors and studied law in Toulouse in 1632 to Paris, where he joined as a cadet in the Royal Guard Regiment, but also has literary operated. Thanks to his talent as a highly imaginative storyteller he was able to attract attention of the Queen positive, and he received the honor as a service more important office of " gentilhomme du Roi ".
The novels, tragedies and tragi-comedies which he wrote first, have received little attention. Around 1640 he waved over to multi-volume ( pseudo-) historical novels that are attributable to the contemporary category of the heroic- gallant novel: Cassandre (1642 ff ), Cléopâtre (1647 ff ) and Pharamond (1661 ff.) Especially thanks Cléopâtre La Calprenède became one of the most widely read French, if not European authors of the mid-century.
As in the heroic- gallant Roman usual, form the historical names and facts only one kind of pretext for the display of relations, customs and personalities of their own time. Language and style are influenced by the modes of speech of preciosity salons of the era and appeared as early the next generation, such as Boileau, as campy.
Works (selection)
Novels
- Cassandre, 10 volumes, 1642-1650
- Cléopâtre, 12 volumes, 1647-58
- Pharamond, 7 volumes, 1661 ff
- Les nouvelles ou les divertissements de la princesse Alcidiane, 1661 (under the name of his wife released but commonly attributed to him )
Dramas
- La Bradamante, 1637 ( digitized )
- La mort de Mitridate, 1637 ( digitized )
- Le Clarionte, ou Le sacrifice sanglant, 1637 ( digitized )
- Le Comte d' Essex, 1638 - influenced Thomas Corneille's tragedy of the same name ( the digitized edition 1650)
- Jeanne, reyne d' Angleterre, 1638 ( digitized )
- La mort d' enfans of Herod, ou Suite de Mariana, 1639 ( digitized )
- Édouard, 1640 ( digitized )
- Phalante, 1642 ( digitized )
- Herménigilde, 1643 ( digitized )