Pierre Corneille, the great French dramatist, was born at Rouen, June 6, 1606. He practiced law for a time at Rouen, but the success of his first comedy, Mélite, induced him to enter upon a literary career. After producing a series of comedies, he began writing tragedies, and brought out in rapid succession Médée, Le Cid, which established his fame, Horace, Cinna, Polyeucte, frequently regarded as his greatest work, La Mort de Pompée (Death of Pompey), Théodore, Rodogune. Le Menteur (The Liar) entitles him to be called the father of French comedy as well as of tragedy. There was a distinct decline in the quality of Corneille’s later works, and during the closing years of his life he was overshadowed by his younger contemporary, Racine. Corneille became a member of the French Academy in 1647. He died in Paris, October 1, 1684.
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