Profession: Poet and Critic
Biography: Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux played a key role in reforming French poetry in the 17th century. He is best known for promoting reason, wit, and restraint in literary expression.
Boileau abandoned a career in law to focus on writing after his father died in 1657. His early satirical poems attacked the popular writers of his day and aimed to elevate French poetry.
In 1664, Boileau published "Dialogue sur les héros de roman," a prose work that satirized the romance novels of his time and helped make that style obsolete. Around this period, he started meeting with other prominent writers like Molière and Jean Racine to discuss literature.
Boileau released two influential works in 1674: "L'Art poétique," a poem that set out rules for poetry, and "Le Lutrin," a mock-heroic poem. "L'Art poétique" influenced English writers, notably Alexander Pope, through a translation by Sir William Soame and John Dryden.
In 1677, Boileau was appointed the historiographer to King Louis XIV. His 1683 poem "Sur l'amour de Dieu" defended the importance of spiritual poetry. In his later years, he feuded with the Jesuits, attacking them in his poem "Sur l'équivoque."
Born: November 1, 1636
Birthplace: Paris, France
Star Sign: Scorpio
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