1 November 1636 13 March 1711 Nicolas Boileau was born on 1 November 1636 in Paris, the fifteenth of sixteen children of Chancellor of the great Chambre Capitoline Parliament Gilles Boileau. Addressed to law studies since childhood, spends an unfortunate childhood due to poor health: this is also why his studies lasting longer than expected. Managed to enter, however, in the College of Harcourt, he attended the lessons of law also in the College of Beauvais, and is notable for the profound interest to poets of antiquity. On 4 September 1656 he was admitted into law school, but left disgusted soon: and so gives rise to scandal in the family after leaving the studio of Andrea Alciato and Jacque Cujas, drawing much of the blame of his brother-in-law Dongois, Chancellor, who predicts a future as failed. Nicolas Boileau, on the other hand, he continued his theological studies begun at the Sorbonne, but without much success, in spite of the allocation of the benefit of the Priory of Saint-Paterne, including 800 francs. Thanks to that little wealth, can live devoting himself to literature, repudiating instead the study of Scholasticism. Between 1660 and 1668 writes "Satires". The first satire appears at a time when the Oracle of the literature is deemed Jean Chapelain, in spite of the masterpieces of Moliere and Corneille. The satire of Boileau are inspired by those of Juvenal and especially of Horace: in them he shall address its invective against contemporary writers he considers of little taste, just as Georges de Scudery Chapelain, but also and Philippe Quinault. Nicolas shows considerable skill to produce verses, materializing the resources of poetry and getting an outstanding success: for this reason, people he criticized show even more resentment towards him. The IX satire, entitled "to his spirit," is bound to them; the X and XII, instead, "against women" and "Misunderstanding", are unanimously considered to be the less inspired. Since 1669, Boileau publishes its "Epitres", denoting a more serene and mature. Shortly thereafter he devoted himself to the translation of the "Treaty of the sublime" by Pseudo-Longinus: is the 1674. In the same year gives print Art poetique ". Of the four books of "Art poetique", the first and last deal with general precepts, based mainly on the concept of common sense; the second speaks of elegy, Odes, satires and epigrams; the third focuses attention on the tragic poetry and epic. Despite the rules described in the Treaty are mainly of value, their defect is to make all too mechanical lyrical efforts. Nicolas Boileau works then the "Lutrin", which according to many represented by Alexander Pope, a model for her "Rape of the Lock", although the poem English unanimously considered superior both in terms of the imaginative wealth and from the point of view of the subtlety of invention. In particular, are the fifth and sixth canto, added by the French author afterwards, to compromise the overall judgment on the poem. Boileau is later presented to Louis XIV by Madame de Montespan, her protector: the King, therefore, ensures its protection, thanks to the morality of her costumes and merit be enthralled with his works. Nicolas gets a pension of two thousand francs and the ability to print his works; In addition he was given the task of writing the history of the Kingdom. In 1677, in fact, he was appointed historiographer of the King together with Racine, and for this reason starts to follow him in his triumphs, his literary output decreases. In this period, however, the satire "Sur les femmes," the ode "Sur la prise de Namur" and Epistles "Sur L'Amour de Dieu" and "A mes vers." In 1684 Boileau joined the "Academie francaise"; shortly after the turn of the "Academie des inscriptions et medailles". Dead Racine, clears his appearances in court, not being a lover of worldliness: prefers to remain in his residence to Autueil, where he receives his friends. In 1705, however, sells his home and returns to Paris, where he lived in seclusion at Notre Dame with his confessor; in the same year he wrote the aforementioned 12TH satire, "Sur l ' equivoque" in which attacks the Jesuits – that's why they ask to Louis XIV to withdraw the privilege of publication guaranteed to Boileau. Suffering from various ailments, aided by declining health as always, Nicolas Boileau dies at 75 years in Paris on 13 March 1711, due to the consequences of dropsy, deciding to leave the poor most of his possessions.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.