Georges de Scudéry

Georges de Scudéry (* August 22, 1601 in Le Havre, † May 14, 1667 in Paris) was a French military and writer.

Life and work

Georges de Scudéry is today practically only known as the brother of author Madeleine de Scudéry, which published much of their novel creations under his name, but in the history of literature enjoys much greater advantage.

Scudéry originally came from a noble family in southern France. His father was, however, become a naval officer and later commander of the fortified port of Le Havre. At age 12, he was an orphan and came along with his six -years-younger sister to an uncle at Rouen, who had bestowed them a good education. About 20 years old he lived apparently at some time in Rome. At 22, he became an officer and participated in some of the campaigns with which the Crown attempted to break the power of actually equal Protestants. In 1630 he resigned from the service in order to devote himself to literature.

He let himself, along with his sister, who remained unmarried, settled in Paris, where he developed the image of a noble military and war veteran rose to the operated only incidentally and reluctantly as the author.

He debuted in 1631 with a volume of poems by Théophile de Viau in style, but then he worked primarily as a playwright with a series of 16 passable successful plays (see below), mainly tragi-comedies. Here, he gained the protection of Almighty Minister Cardinal Richelieu, who was clamp the theater for his own political purposes endeavor.

In the Querelle du Cid, the dispute over Pierre Corneille's Le Cid successful tragicomedy ( Auff. end of 1636), he acted, first with the backing of Richelieu, as one the most active critics of his younger competitors. His spiteful Observations sur " Le Cid " (1637 ), however, brought him in the long run only the reputation of a pelvic diameter. Developed from the Observations apologia du théâtre ( 1639 ), with which he attempted to distinguish itself as a drama theorist, found only slight echo.

Around 1640 he tried his hand as a novelist and wrote with sister Madeleine the four -volume novel Ibrahim, ou l' Illustre Bassa ( 1641).

After the death of Richelieu (1642 ), he remained neutral with respect to its unpopular successor Cardinal Mazarin. He was rewarded with the post of commander of the fort Notre -Dame-de -la-Garde, which protected the port of Marseille. Here he remained with Madeleine, who had followed him, went back to 1647, after which he apparently could be represented and to Paris.

During the Fronde ( 1648-52 ) Scudéry took sides against Mazarin and joined the prince of Condé on. No doubt thanks to its protection in 1650, he was elected as the successor of Claude Favre de Vaugelas a member of the Académie française. After the victory of Mazarin, he was relieved of his post and Marseilles banished to Normandy. He settled in Rouen, where he ( vaincue Alaric ou Rome, 1654 ), a long epic in verse written and advantageously married.

When he was allowed to return to Paris in 1660, the literary tastes had changed so much that he succeeded no comeback.

Works

Poems / epic poems

• Oeuvre poétiques ( 1631)
• Recueil de poésies ( 1649)
• Alaric ou Rome vaincue (1654 )

Novels

• Ibrahim ou l' Illustre Bassa (4 vols, 1641, in collaboration with Madeleine )

The other appeared under Georges ' names novels are well written overwhelmingly by Madeleine:

• Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus (10 volumes, 1649-1653 )
• Clélie (10 volumes, 1654-1660 )
• Almahida (8 volumes, 1660-1663 )

Theater ( selection)

• Lydamon et Lydia ( 1631)
• Le trompeur puni ( 1633)
• La Comédie des comédiens (1634 )
• Le Vassal généreux ( 1635)
• Le Prince déguisé ( 1635)
• L' Amour tyrannique ( 1638)
• Ibrahim ou l' Illustre Bassa (1642 ) ( adaptation of the eponymous novel )

Other Writings (selection )

• Observations sur "Le Cid " (1637 )
• Preuve de passages Allegues dans les " Observations sur " Le Cid " (1637 )
• Apology du théâtre ( 1649)