Nicolas Boileau

1636–1711 · lived 74 years

Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux, known as Boileau, was a French poet and literary critic, widely regarded as the "prince of critics." He played a pivotal role in defining the canons of French classicism, advocating for reason, clarity, and order in art. His work influenced generations of writers and established aesthetic standards that dominated French literature for centuries.

n. 1636-11-01, Paris · m. 1711-03-13, Paris

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Bio

Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux was born on November 1, 1636, in Paris, France. Educated in law, he soon turned to literature, becoming an influential critic and poet. His most famous work, "Art poétique" (The Art of Poetry), published in 1674, codified the rules and principles of French classicism, emphasizing reason, decorum, and the imitation of the ancients. Boileau was a staunch advocate for form and structure, and his opinions carried considerable weight in the French Academy and literary circles of the time. He also penned satirical poems and critical works that shaped literary taste and set standards for writing in France. Boileau died on March 17, 1711, in Paris.

Poems

No poems found

Quotes

Ce que l’on conçoit bien s’énonce clairement . What is well conceived is clearly said.

Nothing but truth is lovely, nothing fair.

At last came Malherbe, and he was the first in France to give poetry a proper flow.

Honor is like a steep island without a shore: one cannot return once one is outside.

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