The Fench Writers in the Seventeenth Century: The Literary Works of Corneille Converted and Stabilized the French Language

Author

• Bernard Raphael, Xavier University of Louisiana

Date of Award

5-1932

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Keywords

French Literature, Seventeenth Century France, French Classical Drama, Corneille, Molière, Racine, French Academy, French Language History, Salon Culture, French Classicism

Abstract

This thesis, submitted to Xavier University in partial fulfillment of requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1932, argues that the literary work of Pierre Corneille converted and stabilized the French language during the seventeenth century. It surveys the major literary institutions and figures shaping French letters during this period, including the Salon de Rambouillet and its role in refining literary taste, and the founding of the French Academy under Richelieu and its work compiling the French dictionary. Corneille's development of French classical tragedy is examined in detail, particularly through "Le Cid," with attention to his treatment of the classical unities of time, place, and action, and his relationship to the affected language of the "précieux." The thesis also discusses the contributions of Molière, credited as the founder of French classical comedy; Racine, noted for his psychological character analysis; and La Bruyère, whose stylistic departures are traced to the influence of the Port-Royalists and Jansenist religious controversy. Corneille's careful, disciplined use of language, recognized through his appointment to help select entries for the French Academy's dictionary, is presented as the decisive stabilizing influence on French that distinguished his work from his contemporaries.

Note: No original abstract was included; this abstract is provided by the XULA Digital Commons editors.

Recommended Citation

Raphael, Bernard, "The Fench Writers in the Seventeenth Century: The Literary Works of Corneille Converted and Stabilized the French Language" (1932). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 102.
https://digitalcommons.xula.edu/etd/102