Honoré d'Urfé facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Honoré d'Urfé
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| Born | 11 February 1568 Marseille, France |
| Died | 1 June 1625 (aged 57) Villefranche-sur-mer, France |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | French |
| Period | 16th century |
| Genre | Pastoral |
| Notable works | L'Astrée |
Honoré d'Urfé (born February 11, 1568 – died June 1, 1625) was a French writer. He was known for writing novels and other types of literature. He also held the titles of Marquis de Valromey and Comte de Châteauneuf.
Contents
Life of Honoré d'Urfé
Honoré d'Urfé was born in Marseille, France. He was the grandson of a famous person named Claude d'Urfé. Honoré went to school at the Collège de Tournon.
Early Life and Imprisonment
Honoré d'Urfé supported a group called the Catholic League. Because of this, he was captured and put in prison in 1595. He was set free quickly, but then captured and imprisoned again.
While he was in prison, Honoré spent his time reading. He read books by famous writers like Pierre de Ronsard and Petrarch. He especially enjoyed Diana by Jorge de Montemayor and Aminta by Torquato Tasso. These books were pastoral romances, which are stories about shepherds and country life.
Life in Savoy
After the Catholic League was defeated in 1594, d'Urfé moved to Savoy. The Duke of Savoy, Charles Emmanuel I, was related to Honoré's mother. While living in Savoy, Honoré wrote a book called Epîtres morales in 1598.
Honoré's brother, Anne d'Urfé, had married a wealthy woman named Diane de Châteaumorand. Their marriage was later ended. To keep Diane's money within the D'Urfé family, Honoré married her in 1600. However, this marriage was also not happy. Honoré spent most of his time away from his wife. He worked at the court of Savoy as a chamberlain, which was an important position.
Death
Honoré d'Urfé died in 1625. He was in Villafranca during a fight against the people of Genoa. He fell from his horse and was badly hurt, which led to his death.
Major Literary Works
It was in Savoy that Honoré d'Urfé got the idea for his most famous novel, L'Astrée. The story takes place in his home region of Forez, along the banks of the Lignon River.
About L'Astrée
L'Astrée is a very long and detailed romance novel. It tells the love story of two characters named Celadon and Astrée. The book includes many side stories and discussions. Some people thought the story was about Honoré's own life. However, it was later found that the main parts of the romance were not about him. Still, some smaller parts might have been based on the adventures of King Henry IV.
The characters in L'Astrée are shepherds and shepherdesses. They are like the typical characters in pastoral stories. They talk about love in a very fancy and complicated way, which is not how real country people would speak.
Publication and Influence
The first part of L'Astrée was published in 1607. The second part came out in 1610, and the third in 1619. The fourth part was published in 1627, after Honoré d'Urfé had died. His secretary, Balthazar Baro, added a fifth part in 1628.
L'Astrée became very popular and started a new trend in romance novels. Many other writers copied its style. Plays of that time often included long, detailed talks about love, just like in L'Astrée. The best version of the book was published in 1647.
Other Writings
Besides L'Astrée, Honoré d'Urfé also wrote other works. He wrote a pastoral poem called Le Sireine, which was published in 1606. He also wrote a pastoral play called Sylvanire, which came out in 1627.
Legacy and Recognition
Honoré d'Urfé's work, especially L'Astrée, remained well-known for a long time. In 1757, the character "Celadon" from his novel was still famous. People used his name to describe someone who was very romantic.
In 1908, a statue of Honoré d'Urfé was put up in Virieu-le-Grand in France. This is where he wrote most of L'Astrée.
Modern Adaptations
In 2007, a French director named Éric Rohmer made a movie based on L'Astrée. The movie was called Les Amours d'Astrée et de Céladon. In English, it was known as The Romance of Astrea and Celadon. The film was nominated for an award at the Venice Film Festival. The actor who played Céladon, Andy Gillet, won an award for Best Male Newcomer in 2008.
See also
In Spanish: Honoré d'Urfé para niños
