Pierre Corneille DIscussion on an important person in literature

Literature

1. Born: June 6, 1606 Died: Oct. 1, 1684
PIERRE CORNEILLE

2. BRIEF LIFE HISTORY
•A French poet and dramatist, considered the creator of French classical tragedy.
•Born in Rouen, France, to a well-off family of lawyers.
•Pierre was educated at the Jesuit school in his hometown, won two prizes for Latin
verse composition, and became a licentiate in law.
•From 1628 to 1650 he held the position of king’s counselor in the local office of the
department of waterways and forests.
•He was elected to the Académie Française in 1647, where he influenced French literature
and drama.
•Died in Paris in 1684, leaving behind a significant body of work that shaped French dramatic
tradition.

3. OVERVIEW OF CORNEILLE’S WORKS
•"Le Cid" (1637): Perhaps his most famous play, it tells the story of a young Spanish nobleman
torn between love and duty. It sparked controversy but was a great success, defining Corneille as a
master of tragic drama.
•"Horace" (1640): A tragic story of patriotism and personal honor set during the early years of
Rome.
•"Cinna" (1641): Another tragedy that focuses on themes of power, revenge, and clemency.
•"Polyeucte" (1642): A Christian tragedy, focusing on faith and martyrdom, influenced by the rise
of religious themes in the 17th century.
•"Mélite" (1629): His first comedy, which was an early success and set the foundation for his
future work.
•"La Place Royale" (1634): Another comedy that delves into themes of love and honor.

4. POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUND
1.Political Background: France during Corneille’s lifetime was moving toward absolute monarchy,
particularly under Cardinal Richelieu, who served as chief minister under Louis XIII. Richelieu was
also instrumental in founding the Académie Française, which shaped literary norms, including
classical rules of drama such as the three unities (action, time, and place), all of which Corneille's
tragedies adhered to.
2.Social Background: Corneille's work reflects the values of 17th-century French society,
particularly its emphasis on honor, duty, and reason. His characters often face dilemmas that reflect
the tension between personal desires and social expectations.
3.Economic Background: Corneille’s career coincided with France’s rise as a dominant European
power, which was accompanied by growing economic stability, the flourishing of the arts, and the
increasing patronage of writers and artists by the aristocracy and royal court.

5. CONTRIBUTION TO LITERARY CRITICISM
❑Corneille's work contributed significantly to the development of French classical tragedy and the
establishment of the rules of drama, particularly the unities of time, place, and action.
❑His play "Le Cid" was at the center of a major literary debate called the "Querelle du Cid".
❑The debate helped to codify the rules of classical French drama that would dominate French theater
for the rest of the 17th century and beyond.
❑Corneille himself responded to the criticism with essays on dramatic theory, particularly his
"Examens" and "Discourses on Dramatic Poetry", where he articulated his ideas on drama,
including his justification of his work against the strict classical rules.
❑He is considered a bridge between the Renaissance ideals of theater and the stricter classical forms of
the later 17th century, with his works contributing to the later Neoclassical movement in Europe.

7. THE ARCHETYPAL/ SYMBOLIC
APPROACH
•a framework that focuses on recurring symbols, themes, characters, and narrative
patterns found across different texts and cultures.
•This method draws heavily on the ideas of psychologist Carl Jung, who
introduced the concept of the "collective unconscious"—a set of shared,
universal archetypes (images and themes) that exist in the subconscious minds of
all people.

8. MAIN IDEAS OF THE ARCHETYPAL APPROACH IN
LITERARY CRITICISM:

1.Universal Archetypes: The belief that certain symbols, characters, and patterns (called
archetypes) recur across various cultures and time periods, stemming from the collective
unconscious—a concept introduced by Carl Jung.
2.Collective Unconscious: A concept from Jungian psychology that suggests all humans
share a set of unconscious memories and ideas passed down from our ancestors.
3.Myth and Literature: Archetypal criticism connects literature to mythology, seeing
literary works as modern expressions of ancient myths.

9. 4.Recurring Narrative Patterns: Stories often follow familiar patterns, such as the hero’s
journey or the death-rebirth cycle, which correspond to the deep psychological structures
shared by all humans.
5.Symbolism: Certain symbols—such as water representing life or rebirth, or the forest
symbolizing mystery and danger—are common across texts and can be interpreted using
an archetypal lens.

10. MAIN ARGUMENTS OF THE ARCHETYPAL APPROACH
IN LITERARY CRITICISM:

1.Literature Reflects Universal Human Experiences: Proponents argue that archetypes
found in literature transcend cultural and historical differences, reflecting the core
aspects of the human condition.
2.Archetypes Have Deep Psychological Significance: Based on Carl Jung’s idea of the
collective unconscious, critics argue that archetypal characters and symbols resonate
with readers because they tap into deep, shared psychological experiences.
3.Patterns and Structures in Stories Are Recurrent: Whether it is the hero’s journey or
a cycle of creation and destruction, archetypal critics argue that certain story structures
are not unique to individual cultures but are common across the world.

11. 4.Literature as a Reflection of Myth: Literature is seen as a modern continuation of
ancient myths, with many stories adapting or reinterpreting timeless mythological
themes.
5.Criticism of Other Approaches: Archetypal critics often argue that focusing only on a
text’s historical or cultural context (as in historicism or cultural criticism) can overlook
the broader, timeless themes that archetypes reveal.

12. WRITING ABOUT A PARTICULAR ARCHETYPAL APPROACH
1.Introduction

•Introduce the text
•Define archetypal criticism
•State the archetypal focus
•Thesis statement
2.Identify Key Archetypes

•Describe the archetypes
•Link to universal meanings
•Cite evidence from the text

13. 3.Analyze the Archetypes in Context

•Explain their function
•Psychological or mythological relevance
•Cultural significance

4.Synthesize the Archetypes into Broader Themes
•Tie everything together
•Highlight the universality of the text

14. 5. Conclusion

•Restate the main argument
•Reflect on the value of archetypal criticism
•Close with insight