author
Nicolas Boileau Despréaux
1636–1711
A sharp-witted voice of French classicism, this poet and critic helped set the standards for clarity, balance, and satire that shaped generations of writers. His work is still remembered for turning literary taste itself into a lively, public debate.
1 Audiobook
Le Lutrin, poème héroï-comique
by Nicolas Boileau Despréaux
About the author
Born in Paris on November 1, 1636, Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux became one of the most influential literary critics and poets of 17th-century France. He is often known simply as Boileau, and he built his reputation through satires, verse epistles, and critical writing that pushed French poetry toward order, precision, and classical restraint.
Boileau was strongly influenced by the Roman poet Horace, and he is especially associated with defending classical standards in literature. His writings helped shape the ideals of French classicism, and his L'Art poétique became one of his best-known works for setting out principles of poetic craft in a clear, memorable way.
He died in Paris on March 13, 1711, but his influence lasted far beyond his own lifetime. In both France and England, he was long treated as a major authority on style, satire, and literary judgment.