Biography of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

Without a qualm

24 January 1732 18 may 1799 Pierre de Beaumarchais was born in Paris on 24 January 1732, the son of a watchmaker. First helps his father in his business, but soon leaves her managing to break at the Court of Louis XV. As a child she studied guitar, flute, harp and viola, so teaches music at Royal princesses, becoming Secretary of Louis XV. In 1760 became a member of the great financier Pâris-Duverney. Is enriched in financial speculations and undergoes two processes for which he writes against the Councilor Goezman four "Memoires" (1774-1775), libelli witty satire loads. The procesii loses the lawsuits, however is much welcome by the public for his work as a polemicist. French court secret agent also becomes doing secret missions to Louis XV and Louis XVI; in 1776 he organised a fleet to supply American insurgents weapons against England. He founded the society of dramatic authors and becomes responsible for the musical education of the daughters of Louis XIV. Attends long the parlor of the Prince de Conti, Grand prior of the order of Malta, which assigns him a lifelong pension of 2,000 livres, at the Palace of the Temple in Paris. The French Revolution deprives him of his charges. Thus becomes an agent of Convention: first imprisoned in the Netherlands, then in Hamburg, Germany and takes refuge only later in France. On his return his finances are practically zeroed so gets back into business, succeeding in short to recover. Thanks to the good conduct of affairs, brings his expertise on scene, especially with the comedy of intrigue, managing to put together the size of plot, social satire and Remonstrance against injustices. Already famous for "Barbier de Seville" (1755)-that will inspire the operas of Gioachino Rossini and Giovanni Paisiello-censorship after strong opposition by the keeper of the seals and King Louis XVI, manages to portray his work "Mariage de Figaro (1784, it is the sequel of the Barber of Seville), that will inspire the work of Mozart. The success of these plays comes from the liveliness of the situations, language and humorous, and above all with a strong social satire. His plays marked a clear break with the tradition of contemporary theatre bourgeois, based on conventional plots and characters, generally subordinate to moral intentions and edifying. Of lesser importance is the melodrama "calibrate" (1787), and the drama "the guilty mother" (La mère coupable, 1792) that closes the trilogy of Figaro. The character of Figaro is one of the best creations to symbolize a historical phase. His independent spirit, the will and the resources of his wits end up being right, whose privileges no longer correspond to an actual social role. Beaumarchais in his works, as in life, calling for the defense of the humble trasformand in defense of the people. You tapped for recognition of copyright, and in 1783 start at his own expense the publication of "complete works" by Voltaire. His other three dramas: "Eugenie" (1767), "Les deux amis" (1770) and "La mère coupable" (1792). Pierre de Beaumarchais died in Paris on 18 June 1799.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.