Pierre Gringore
Encyclopedia
Pierre Gringoire was a popular French poet and playwright. He was born in Normandy
, at Thury-Harcourt
, but the exact date and place of his death are unknown. His first work was Le Chasteau de Labour (1499), an allegorical poem.
From 1506 to 1512, he worked as an actor-manager and playwright in Paris. He is best known for the satirical plays he wrote during this period for the Confrérie des Enfants Sans Souci or Sots, a famous comedic acting troupe. While in Paris he became a favorite of Louis XII
, who employed the troupe to poke fun at the papacy. Tension between France and Rome was building during this period, eventually resulting in the Italian Wars
and the formation of the Catholic League in 1511. Gringoire wrote several scathing indictments of Pope Julius II
, for example, La Chasse du cerf des cerfs (1510) and the trilogy, Le Jeu du Prince des Sots et Mère Sotte.
Follow his Parisian period, he wrote a mystery play about Louis IX
, Vie Monseigneur Sainct Loys par personnaiges (1514) for the Paris guild of masons and carpenters. Some scholars consider this to be his masterpiece.
took the throne, he put severe restrictions on plays and playwrights in place. Gringoire moved to Lorraine
in 1518, where he married Catherine Roger.
, up to and including Martin Luther
.
's novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. He did not appear in Disney's 1996 animated film adaptation
or its 2002 straight-to-video sequel
. He is also the main character in the short drama Gringoire (1866) by Théodore de Banville
.
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, at Thury-Harcourt
Thury-Harcourt
Thury-Harcourt is a French commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Situated in the Orne valley, its surroundings are much like Clécy, but the Rock of Oëtre contrasts with the plateau of Caen to the north....
, but the exact date and place of his death are unknown. His first work was Le Chasteau de Labour (1499), an allegorical poem.
From 1506 to 1512, he worked as an actor-manager and playwright in Paris. He is best known for the satirical plays he wrote during this period for the Confrérie des Enfants Sans Souci or Sots, a famous comedic acting troupe. While in Paris he became a favorite of Louis XII
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
, who employed the troupe to poke fun at the papacy. Tension between France and Rome was building during this period, eventually resulting in the Italian Wars
Italian Wars
The Italian Wars, often referred to as the Great Italian Wars or the Great Wars of Italy and sometimes as the Habsburg–Valois Wars, were a series of conflicts from 1494 to 1559 that involved, at various times, most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, most of the major states of Western...
and the formation of the Catholic League in 1511. Gringoire wrote several scathing indictments of Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...
, for example, La Chasse du cerf des cerfs (1510) and the trilogy, Le Jeu du Prince des Sots et Mère Sotte.
Follow his Parisian period, he wrote a mystery play about Louis IX
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
, Vie Monseigneur Sainct Loys par personnaiges (1514) for the Paris guild of masons and carpenters. Some scholars consider this to be his masterpiece.
Personal life
After Francis IFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
took the throne, he put severe restrictions on plays and playwrights in place. Gringoire moved to Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
in 1518, where he married Catherine Roger.
Religion
Despite the various works in which he attacked the papacy, Gringoire was a devout Catholic. One of his later works, Blazon des hérétiques (1524) attacks heretics and leaders of the Protestant ReformationProtestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, up to and including Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
.
In popular culture
Gringoire appears as a main character in Victor HugoVictor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
's novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. He did not appear in Disney's 1996 animated film adaptation
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1996 American animated drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released to theaters on June 21, 1996 by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fourth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the film is inspired by Victor Hugo's novel of...
or its 2002 straight-to-video sequel
The Hunchback of Notre Dame II
The Hunchback of Notre Dame II is a 2002 direct-to-video sequel to the 1996 Disney animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It was produced by Walt Disney Animation Japan...
. He is also the main character in the short drama Gringoire (1866) by Théodore de Banville
Théodore de Banville
Théodore Faullain de Banville was a French poet and writer.-Biography:Banville was born in Moulins in Allier, Auvergne, the son of a captain in the French navy. His boyhood, by his own account, was cheerlessly passed at a lycée in Paris; he was not harshly treated, but took no part in the...
.