Georges de Brébeuf
Encyclopedia
Georges de Brébeuf was a French
poet
and translator best known for his verse translation of Lucan
's Pharsalia
(1654) which was warmly received by Pierre Corneille
, but which was ridiculed by Nicolas Boileau in his Art poétique.
family, most likely at Torigni-sur-Vire
, Manche
. One of his ancestors had followed William the Conqueror into England, and he was himself the nephew of the Jesuit missionary
to Canada
Jean de Brébeuf
(who was later made a saint after his death at the hands of the Iroquois
). He studied in Caen
and Paris
(where he met Blaise Pascal
) and became preceptor to the future Marshall de Bellefonds (1641), then moved to Rouen
, to hold a religious benefice.
His early poetry participated in the so-called "précieuses
" movement and is considered on a par with the works of Vincent Voiture
and Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac
. He became friends with Valentin Conrart
, Gilles Ménage
, Jean Chapelain
, François-Eudes de Mézeray
and Pierre Corneille
; he wrote poetry on demand; and he gained a reputation for his playful, elegant and ironic poems (such as his Gageure or Epigrammes contre une femme fardée, 150 epigram
s and madrigal
s against a woman wearing make-up) and his skill with vers libre (free verse
). He also wrote works in a burlesque vein, much like Paul Scarron
, in his baroque
parodies
of Virgil
's Aeneid
and Lucan
's Pharsalia
.
His reputation is most linked to his non-burlesque free translation of Lucan's Pharsalia. The author was severely ridiculized by Nicolas Boileau for his precious language in his Art poétique, but Boileau later changed his opinion of Brébeuf, saying "Malgré son fatras obscur, souvent Brébeuf étincelle" ("Despite his obscure gobblygook, Brébeuf often shines").
Near the end of his life, Brébeuf left mondain society and retreated to Venoix
(near Caen), where his younger brother was curé
. His later works are meditative, and seek peace in contemplation and nature. He died in 1661 in Venoix
near Caen
. His brother published a posthumous collection of his works, including his letters.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
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...
and translator best known for his verse translation of Lucan
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus , better known in English as Lucan, was a Roman poet, born in Corduba , in the Hispania Baetica. Despite his short life, he is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imperial Latin period...
's Pharsalia
Pharsalia
The Pharsalia is a Roman epic poem by the poet Lucan, telling of the civil war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Roman Senate led by Pompey the Great...
(1654) which was warmly received by Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine...
, but which was ridiculed by Nicolas Boileau in his Art poétique.
Biography
Georges de Brébeuf was born into an illustrious NormanNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
family, most likely at Torigni-sur-Vire
Torigni-sur-Vire
Torigni-sur-Vire is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Heraldry:-See also:*Communes of the Manche department...
, Manche
Manche
Manche is a French department in Normandy named after La Manche , which is the French name for the English Channel.- History :Manche is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
. One of his ancestors had followed William the Conqueror into England, and he was himself the nephew of the Jesuit missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Jean de Brébeuf
Jean de Brébeuf
Jean de Brébeuf was a Jesuit missionary, martyred in Canada on March 16, 1649.-Early years:Brébeuf was born in Condé-sur-Vire, Normandy, France. He was the uncle of the fur trader Georges de Brébeuf. He studied near home at Caen. He became a Jesuit in 1617, joining the Order...
(who was later made a saint after his death at the hands of the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
). He studied in Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
and 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 he met Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
) and became preceptor to the future Marshall de Bellefonds (1641), then moved to Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, to hold a religious benefice.
His early poetry participated in the so-called "précieuses
Précieuses
The French literary style called préciosité arose in the 17th century from the lively conversations and playful word games of les précieuses , the witty and educated intellectual ladies who frequented the salon of Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de Rambouillet; her Chambre bleue offered a...
" movement and is considered on a par with the works of Vincent Voiture
Vincent Voiture
Vincent Voiture , French poet, was the son of a rich merchant of Amiens. He was introduced by a schoolfellow, the count Claude d'Avaux, to Gaston, Duke of Orléans, and accompanied him to Brussels and Lorraine on diplomatic missions.Although a follower of Gaston, he won the favour of Cardinal...
and Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac
Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac
Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac was a French author, best known for his epistolary essays, which were widely circulated and read in his day. He was one of the founding members of Académie française.-Biography:...
. He became friends with Valentin Conrart
Valentin Conrart
Valentin Conrart was a French author, and as a founder of the Académie française, the first occupant of seat 2.-Biography:He was born in Paris of Calvinist parents, and was educated for business. However, after his father's death in 1620, he began to move in literary circles, and soon acquired a...
, Gilles Ménage
Gilles Ménage
Gilles Ménage was a French scholar.He was born at Angers, the son of Guillaume Ménage, king's advocate at Angers, where Gilles was born....
, Jean Chapelain
Jean Chapelain
Jean Chapelain was a French poet and writer.-Biography:Chapelain was born in Paris. His father wanted him to become a notary; but his mother, who had known Pierre de Ronsard, had decided otherwise...
, François-Eudes de Mézeray
François-Eudes de Mézeray
François Eudes de Mézeray was a French historian.He was born at Rye near Argentan, where his father was a surgeon.He had two brothers, one of whom, Jean-Eudes, was the founder of the order of the Eudists. François studied at the University of Caen, and completed his education at the College of Ste...
and Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneille
Pierre Corneille was a French tragedian who was one of the three great seventeenth-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine...
; he wrote poetry on demand; and he gained a reputation for his playful, elegant and ironic poems (such as his Gageure or Epigrammes contre une femme fardée, 150 epigram
Epigram
An epigram is a brief, interesting, usually memorable and sometimes surprising statement. Derived from the epigramma "inscription" from ἐπιγράφειν epigraphein "to write on inscribe", this literary device has been employed for over two millennia....
s and madrigal
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
s against a woman wearing make-up) and his skill with vers libre (free verse
Free verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
). He also wrote works in a burlesque vein, much like Paul Scarron
Paul Scarron
Paul Scarron was a French poet, dramatist, and novelist. His precise birthdate is unknown, but he was baptized on July 4, 1610...
, in his baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
parodies
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
's Aeneid
Aeneid
The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of roughly 10,000 lines in dactylic hexameter...
and Lucan
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus , better known in English as Lucan, was a Roman poet, born in Corduba , in the Hispania Baetica. Despite his short life, he is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imperial Latin period...
's Pharsalia
Pharsalia
The Pharsalia is a Roman epic poem by the poet Lucan, telling of the civil war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Roman Senate led by Pompey the Great...
.
His reputation is most linked to his non-burlesque free translation of Lucan's Pharsalia. The author was severely ridiculized by Nicolas Boileau for his precious language in his Art poétique, but Boileau later changed his opinion of Brébeuf, saying "Malgré son fatras obscur, souvent Brébeuf étincelle" ("Despite his obscure gobblygook, Brébeuf often shines").
Near the end of his life, Brébeuf left mondain society and retreated to Venoix
Venoix
Situated west from Caen, in Calvados, France, Venoix long was an independent commune. It merged with Caen in 1952 when the development of the nearby city and the need for financially costly infrastructures made it necessary....
(near Caen), where his younger brother was curé
Cure
A cure is a completely effective treatment for a disease.The Cure is an English rock band.Cure, or similar, may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Cure , a short film starring Charlie Chaplin...
. His later works are meditative, and seek peace in contemplation and nature. He died in 1661 in Venoix
Venoix
Situated west from Caen, in Calvados, France, Venoix long was an independent commune. It merged with Caen in 1952 when the development of the nearby city and the need for financially costly infrastructures made it necessary....
near Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. His brother published a posthumous collection of his works, including his letters.
Works
- L'Enéide de Virgile en vers burlesques. Livre septiesme (a parodyParodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the seventh book of VirgilVirgilPublius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
's AeneidAeneidThe Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of roughly 10,000 lines in dactylic hexameter...
, 1650) - La Pharsale de Lucain... (a translation of LucanMarcus Annaeus LucanusMarcus Annaeus Lucanus , better known in English as Lucan, was a Roman poet, born in Corduba , in the Hispania Baetica. Despite his short life, he is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imperial Latin period...
's PharsaliaPharsaliaThe Pharsalia is a Roman epic poem by the poet Lucan, telling of the civil war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Roman Senate led by Pompey the Great...
, 1654) - Défense de l'église romaine (a defense of the Roman church, 1654)
- Lucain travesti en vers enjouëz (a parodyParodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the seventh book of LucanMarcus Annaeus LucanusMarcus Annaeus Lucanus , better known in English as Lucan, was a Roman poet, born in Corduba , in the Hispania Baetica. Despite his short life, he is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imperial Latin period...
's PharsaliaPharsaliaThe Pharsalia is a Roman epic poem by the poet Lucan, telling of the civil war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Roman Senate led by Pompey the Great...
, 1656) - Poésies diverses (1658)
- Entretiens solitaires, ou prières et meeditations pieueses (1660)
- Panégyrique de la paix (1660)
- Éloges poétiques (1661, poems of praise for Nicolas FouquetNicolas FouquetNicolas Fouquet, marquis de Belle-Île, vicomte de Melun et Vaux was the Superintendent of Finances in France from 1653 until 1661 under King Louis XIV...
, Mazarin, Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV of FranceLouis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, the Battle of the Dunes (1658)Battle of the Dunes (1658)The Battle of the Dunes, fought on 14 June , 1658, is also known as the Battle of Dunkirk. It was a victory of the French army, under Turenne, against the Spanish army, led by John of Austria the Younger and Louis II de Condé...
, Claude Auvry, etc.) - Les œuvres de M. de Brébeuf (1664 - includes his letters)
- Poésies héroïques, gaillardes et amoureuses (1666)