Jean de La Bruyère facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean de La Bruyère
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Painting of Bruyère attributed to
Nicolas de Largillière |
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| Born | 16 August 1645 Paris, Kingdom of France |
| Died | 11 May 1696 (aged 50) Versailles, Kingdom of France |
| Language | French |
| Period | 17th-century French literature |
| Literary movement | French moralists |
| Notable awards | Académie française (Seat 36) |
Jean de La Bruyère (born August 16, 1645 – died May 11, 1696) was a famous French philosopher and moralist. He was well-known for his clever and often funny writings that used satire to comment on society. His most famous work is called Caractères, which means "Characters."
Contents
Who Was Jean de La Bruyère?
His Family and Early Life
Jean de La Bruyère was born in Paris, France, in 1645. His family was not rich or noble, but they were part of the middle class. His father worked for the city's finance department. This job allowed him to pay for Jean's education and leave him some money when he passed away.
Jean's family had a history of being involved in important events. His great-grandfather and grandfather were strong supporters of the Catholic League. This was a group that played a big role in French politics and religion during their time.
His Education and Career Start
Jean de La Bruyère studied at a school run by the Oratorians and later at the University of Orléans. After his studies, he became a lawyer. In 1673, he bought a job in the tax department in a city called Caen. This job gave him a good social standing and a steady income.
Through this job, he met Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, a very important speaker and tutor to the king's son. Bossuet helped La Bruyère get a special job in the royal family.
Life at the Royal Court
In 1684, La Bruyère became a tutor to the grandson of Prince of Condé. He also taught the prince's young wife. This meant he spent the rest of his life living either with the Condé family or at the royal court.
The Condé family enjoyed spending time with writers and thinkers. This gave La Bruyère a unique chance to observe the people around him. He was known as a quiet and observant person, always watching and learning from what he saw.
La Bruyère's Famous Book: Caractères
What is Caractères?
La Bruyère's most important book, Caractères, was published in 1688. When it came out, many people predicted it would gain "many readers and many enemies." Both predictions came true!
The book is a collection of short writings. It combines different styles:
- Maxims: Short, wise sayings about life.
- Criticisms: Thoughts on literature and how people act.
- Portraits: Detailed descriptions of different types of people.
These "portraits" were the most popular part of the book. They were very vivid and often described real people from the court, though La Bruyère gave them made-up names. This made the book exciting because readers tried to guess who each "character" was. It also made some powerful people quite upset!
Why Was It Important?
La Bruyère's job at the court gave him a special view of the rich and powerful. He saw how people behaved, sometimes with hypocrisy (pretending to be something they're not) or corruption (dishonest actions). As a moralist, he wanted to help people improve their behavior. He used his observations to show the flaws and silly habits of the aristocracy.
His book was unique because it mixed different writing styles. It was unlike anything seen before and has influenced many writers since.
Challenges and Success
Because La Bruyère's book criticized powerful people, he faced many challenges. Some important writers and members of society became his enemies. However, the friendship of Bossuet and the protection of the Condé family helped him. He kept adding new "portraits" to later editions of his book.
He tried to join the Académie française, a very important French institution for language and literature. He was voted down three times! But in 1693, he was finally elected as a member. Even then, some people made fun of him, saying he was not as interesting in conversation as his writings were.
La Bruyère's criticisms of other writers also made him unpopular with some. He famously called a popular magazine "immediately below nothing."
His Later Life and Legacy
La Bruyère died very suddenly in 1696, not long after joining the Académie. He was at a gathering of friends when he became unable to speak. He passed away a day or two later. Because of his many enemies, some people wondered if he had been poisoned, but there was no proof of this.
Besides Caractères, La Bruyère also translated a work by an ancient Greek writer named Theophrastus. He also wrote a few letters. After his death, another book called Dialogues sur le Quiétisme was published, said to be found among his papers. However, some people doubt if he truly wrote it because it wasn't as good as his other works.
Even with some doubts about his other writings, Caractères remains a very important book in French literature. It gives us a fascinating look into French society during the 17th century and shows La Bruyère's sharp mind and keen observations.
See also
- French moralists
