Georges de Scudéry facts for kids
Georges de Scudéry (born August 22, 1601 – died May 14, 1667) was a famous French writer. He wrote novels, plays, and poems. He was also the older brother of another well-known writer, Madeleine de Scudéry.
Life of Georges de Scudéry
Georges de Scudéry was born in Le Havre, a town in Normandy, France. His family had moved there from a different part of France called Provence. For some time, he served in the army. He often boasted about his military service, and it seems he was indeed a brave soldier.
Before he turned thirty, Georges de Scudéry became very interested in writing. For many years in the mid-1600s, he was a well-known person in Paris. He gained the support of Cardinal Richelieu, a powerful leader, by disagreeing with another famous playwright, Pierre Corneille.
Scudéry even wrote a letter to the Académie française, which is a group that protects the French language. In his letter, he criticized Corneille's famous play, Le Cid. Cardinal Richelieu then supported Scudéry's own play, L'Amour tyrannique (which means Tyrannical Love), in opposition to Corneille's work.
Perhaps because of this support, Georges de Scudéry was made governor of a fortress called Notre-Dame de la Garde near Marseille in 1643. In 1650, he was chosen to be a member of the Académie française.
During a time of trouble in France called the Fronde, he was sent away to Normandy. While there, he became wealthy by marrying a rich woman. He wrote many plays, but L'Amour tyrannique is one of the few that people still remember today. His other famous work was an epic poem called Alaric (written in 1659). He also let his sister use his name for her first novels, mostly helping by checking the proofs.
Georges de Scudéry was known for being a bit of a show-off, but he had a strong love for literature. He also had a high sense of honor and was a loyal friend.
Scudéry also wrote a book called CURIA POLITIAE, OR, THE APOLOGIES OF SEVERALL PRINCES: Justifying to the WORLD Their Most Eminent Actions. This book was translated into English and printed in 1654.
The writer Théophile Gautier wrote about Georges de Scudéry in his book Grotesques.
See also
- Guirlande de Julie
In Spanish: Georges de Scudéry para niños
