Auguste-Marseille Barthelemy
Encyclopedia
Auguste-Marseille Barthélemy (1796 – 23 August 1867), born at Marseilles, was a French
satirical
poet
. His name can hardly be separated from that of his friend and compatriot, Joseph Méry
(1798–1866), with whom he carried on so intimate a collaboration that it is not possible to distinguish their personalities in their joint works.
After having established some local reputation as a poet, Barthélemy went to Paris
, where by one of his first efforts, Le Sacre de Charles X (1825) he gained the favor of the court. His energies, however, were soon enlisted in the service of the opposition party. In 1825 appeared a clever political satire
, Les Sidiennes, followed by La Villéliade ou la prise du château de Rivoli (1827), La Corbiéréide (1827), La Peyronnéide, the joint productions of Barthélemy and Méry. The success was immediate and pronounced; fifteen editions of the Villéliade were called for during the year. A rapid succession of political squibs and satires was now poured forth by the authors, among the most remarkable being Biographie des quarante de l’Académie française (1826) and Napoléon en Égypte (1828), which passed through nearly a dozen editions in a year.
In 1829 Barthélemy was imprisoned
and fined 1000 francs for the publication of their Fils de l’homme, a poem on the Duke of Reichstadt
, Napoleon's son. The July Revolution
of 1830 liberated him; and in company with Méry, he celebrated the triumph of the people in one of their most brilliant efforts, L’Insurrection. From March 1831 to April 1832 they produced a series of verse satires issued weekly, the Némésis, attacking the government and ministers of Louis Philippe
. The small pension of which Barthélemy was the recipient was stopped. When the publication ceased there was a strong suspicion that Barthélemy had been paid for his silence. In 1832 he published an anonymous
poem, supporting some acts of the government which were peculiarly obnoxious to the liberal faction of the Orléanist
party. This change of front destroyed his influence and his later writings passed unnoticed.
For the next few years he enjoyed a handsome pension from the government and refrained from all satirical writing. He again resumed his old style in 1844 but without the former success. From that date he contented himself with occasional poems. Barthélemy died on the 23rd of August 1867 at Marseilles.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. His name can hardly be separated from that of his friend and compatriot, Joseph Méry
Joseph Méry
Joseph Méry was a French writer.Méry was born at Marseille. An ardent romanticist, he collaborated with Auguste Barthélemy in many of his satires and wrote a great number of stories, now forgotten...
(1798–1866), with whom he carried on so intimate a collaboration that it is not possible to distinguish their personalities in their joint works.
After having established some local reputation as a poet, Barthélemy went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where by one of his first efforts, Le Sacre de Charles X (1825) he gained the favor of the court. His energies, however, were soon enlisted in the service of the opposition party. In 1825 appeared a clever political satire
Political satire
Political satire is a significant part of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where such arguments are expressly...
, Les Sidiennes, followed by La Villéliade ou la prise du château de Rivoli (1827), La Corbiéréide (1827), La Peyronnéide, the joint productions of Barthélemy and Méry. The success was immediate and pronounced; fifteen editions of the Villéliade were called for during the year. A rapid succession of political squibs and satires was now poured forth by the authors, among the most remarkable being Biographie des quarante de l’Académie française (1826) and Napoléon en Égypte (1828), which passed through nearly a dozen editions in a year.
In 1829 Barthélemy was imprisoned
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
and fined 1000 francs for the publication of their Fils de l’homme, a poem on the Duke of Reichstadt
Napoleon II of France
Napoléon II , after 1818 known as Franz, Duke of Reichstadt, was the son of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, and his second wife, Marie Louise of Austria...
, Napoleon's son. The July Revolution
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution or in French, saw the overthrow of King Charles X of France, the French Bourbon monarch, and the ascent of his cousin Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who himself, after 18 precarious years on the throne, would in turn be overthrown...
of 1830 liberated him; and in company with Méry, he celebrated the triumph of the people in one of their most brilliant efforts, L’Insurrection. From March 1831 to April 1832 they produced a series of verse satires issued weekly, the Némésis, attacking the government and ministers of Louis Philippe
Louis-Philippe of France
Louis Philippe I was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. His father was a duke who supported the French Revolution but was nevertheless guillotined. Louis Philippe fled France as a young man and spent 21 years in exile, including considerable time in the...
. The small pension of which Barthélemy was the recipient was stopped. When the publication ceased there was a strong suspicion that Barthélemy had been paid for his silence. In 1832 he published an anonymous
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
poem, supporting some acts of the government which were peculiarly obnoxious to the liberal faction of the Orléanist
Orléanist
The Orléanists were a French right-wing/center-right party which arose out of the French Revolution. It governed France 1830-1848 in the "July Monarchy" of king Louis Philippe. It is generally seen as a transitional period dominated by the bourgeoisie and the conservative Orleanist doctrine in...
party. This change of front destroyed his influence and his later writings passed unnoticed.
For the next few years he enjoyed a handsome pension from the government and refrained from all satirical writing. He again resumed his old style in 1844 but without the former success. From that date he contented himself with occasional poems. Barthélemy died on the 23rd of August 1867 at Marseilles.