Literature · 1606–1684
Born: 6 June 1606 · Died: 1 October 1684 · Age at death: 78
Pierre Corneille died aged 78. He was born on 6 June 1606 and died on 1 October 1684.
Renowned seventeenth-century French playwright known as the master of tragedy
Did you know?Despite his success as a writer, he was a trained lawyer and spent several years working in the legal profession in Rouen.
Pierre Corneille gave French theatre its heroes. His characters choose between love and duty. They usually pick duty. Le Cid thrilled audiences in 1637. It also made critics angry for bending classical rules. The quarrel helped shape French drama. He kept writing for decades. Younger rival Jean Racine later overshadowed him. Yet his best plays are still performed at the Comédie-Française. Many French schoolchildren still learn lines from Le Cid by heart.
Pierre Corneille ( kor-NAY, French:; 6 June 1606 – 1 October 1684) was a French tragedian. He is generally considered one of the three great 17th-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine.
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Profile
French playwright, born 1606
Pierre Corneille was born in Rouen on 6 June 1606.
He wrote Le Cid.
He trained as a lawyer in Rouen.
He rivalled Jean Racine.
Career highlights
Did you know?His younger brother Thomas was also a successful playwright.
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