Pierre Beaumarchais: short biography and review of creativity. Beaumarchais - short biography of Caron de Beaumarchais main ideas

Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais - famous French writer, born January 24, 1732, died May 18, 1799, son of watchmaker Caron, from Protestants. Thanks to his attractive appearance, wit, poetic and musical abilities, he became a harp teacher to the daughters of Louis XV, then, with the help of money, achieved the nobility and court ranks.

Monument to Beaumarchais in Paris. Sculptor L. Clozad, 1895

In 1764, he traveled to Spain to defend the honor of his sister, whom the noble Spanish nobleman Clavijo promised to marry (and then deceived). Beaumarchais managed to ensure that Clavijo lost his seat and was exiled. On this plot he wrote his first play in 1767, a “philistine tragedy” in the style of Diderot “Eugenie”, which, as well as Beaumarchais’s story about his trip to Spain - in the 4th “Memoir”, was used by Goethe for his “Clavigo”.

After the death of his second wife (1770), he became involved in a lawsuit over 15,000 livres bequeathed to him by his patron, the banker Duvernet. Having won the case in the first instance, Beaumarchais lost it in the high court - parliament. Then he released “Memoirs of Mr. Beaumarchais, written by himself” - 4 memoirs, in which, with amazing eloquence, brilliant wit and extraordinary irony, he ridiculed the shortcomings of the contemporary judicial case, and declared himself a champion of the powerless third estate. Having defended himself before public opinion, after some time he won his case in court: Louis XVI ordered the verdict of parliament to be cassed.

Beaumarchais's popularity increased incredibly with the advent of his two comedies, “The Barber of Seville, or a Vain Precaution” and “A Mad Day, or The Marriage of Figaro” (a continuation of the first comedy); These two plays were joined in 1791 by a third (weaker than the first two) - “The Guilty Mother, or the Second Tartuffe.” Having achieved enormous success with The Barber, Beaumarchais, despite the immense claims of the actors, secured the copyright for this play; the production of The Marriage of Figaro, despite the support of the queen and the Count of Artois, was not allowed for 7 years. Finally, with the permission of the king, this comedy was staged on a private stage on the estate of Count Vaudreuil, and soon after, on April 27, 1784, in Paris, where it was a resounding success in the presence of representatives of the “old order”, although it cruelly ridiculed and humiliated. “The Comedy of Figaro,” Napoleon later said, “was already a revolution in action.”

Beaumarchais. Crazy day or the marriage of Figaro. Teleplay

Having reached the apogee of fame with this famous play, Beaumarchais experienced how wrong the crowd’s disposition and happiness were. For commenting too harshly on an anonymous article by a high-ranking person, he was sentenced to prison; the costs of publishing the works of Voltaire (1785–89) put him in deep debt. But most of all he was harmed by his enmity with Mirabeau, who, for Beaumarchais’s rash attack against him, so fiercely and sharply attacked the main weaknesses of his opponent that Beaumarchais did not dare to respond. But his talent was also weakening. His memoirs against Cormann, brought to trial for ill-treatment of his wife, did not have the same success as the memoirs of 1774 - 78. Society unfriendlyly followed the manifestations of Beaumarchais's private life and willingly took advantage of opportunities to ridicule and disgrace their former favorite. At this time, he wrote the opera “Tarar”, with hints of a revolutionary nature, a kind of prologue to the “Declaration of Rights”.

In case of explosion french revolution, which Beaumarchais partly prepared with his writings, he himself was frightened by the unbridled ferment of minds, and he had to constantly defend himself before the Convention against the accusations leveled against him. In 1792 he incurred a lot of trouble and serious danger on the occasion of ordering guns from Holland on behalf of the French government. He was arrested, he fled to London, but soon returned to justify himself with the new, but boring “Six Periods of My Life” (1793). Soon he had to flee again, this time to Hamburg, where he lived in extreme poverty until 1796, when, almost deaf, he returned to Paris and there died of apoplexy. They also said that he was poisoned. In addition to the above-mentioned works, he owns several political articles about England and its colonies.

CHRONOLOGY OF BEAUMARCHAI'S LIFE

Beaumarchais's life is a tight ball of many intertwined and sometimes tangled threads, it is not easy to perceive it in this form, so where I found it possible, I separated these threads, unwinding each of them separately. Since this method sometimes violated the strict sequence of facts, in order to restore it, I consider it necessary to end my book with a chronology of Beaumarchais’s life, which should make it easier to read.

1732 - Birth in Paris on the Rue Saint-Denis of Pierre Augustin Caron, the seventh child in the family of watchmaker Andre Caron, a Protestant who converted to Catholicism in 1721 and in 1722 married Louise Pichon, who bore him ten children.

1742 - Pierre Augustin Caron enters the Alfort College.

1745 - Pierre Augustin Caron returns to his father's watch workshop, where he learns the secrets of his profession. This year he met his first love.

1750 - For his unworthy behavior, his father kicks Pierre Augustin out of the house, his mother begs for his forgiveness.

1753 - Pierre Augustin comes up with a system of anchor escapement for watches, his invention is appropriated by the royal watchmaker Lepot. Controversy in the Mercure de France.

1754 - The Academy of Sciences sorts out the dispute and gives the palm to Pierre Augustin Caron. He is accepted as a member of the Royal Scientific Society of London, he becomes a watchmaker, and then a royal watchmaker.

1755 - Pierre Augustin leaves his craft as a watchmaker and buys from Pierre Franke the position of controller-clerk of the royal meal.

1756 - November 27- Pierre Augustin marries Pierre Franquet's widow, takes possession of her property under the marriage contract and adds to his name the name of the plot of land that belonged to his wife, which he writes as Beaumarchais.

1757 - September 30th - Madame de Beaumarchais dies of fever. Her relatives accuse Pierre Augustin of embezzling an inheritance and extorting a signature. He returns the inherited property to them, but retains the name of de Beaumarchais.

1758 - Death of Madame Caron, mother of Beaumarchais.

1759 - Beaumarchais becomes the music teacher of the princesses - the daughters of Louis XV.

1760 - Beaumarchais meets the banker Paris-Duvernay, uses his credit, providing services to the princesses, becomes his partner in financial matters and lays the foundations of his own fortune.

1761 - 9th December - Beaumarchais buys the position of royal secretary and thus acquires a noble title.

1762 - Beaumarchais unsuccessfully seeks a higher position at court. Having failed to become one of the main foresters of the kingdom, he takes the position of senior bailiff of the Louvre Chasseurs and the Great Hunting Court and receives the honorary right to sit in the royal court on poaching cases; he would remain in this position for twenty-two years.

1763 - Beaumarchais has plans to marry Pauline Le Breton. Moving to house number 26 on Conde Street.

1764 - A trip to Madrid for Paris-Duvernay's commercial affairs, as well as to resolve the personal problem of his sister Lisette, compromised by the writer Clavijo, whom he discredits.

He fails to achieve the implementation of Paris-Duvernay's projects, including the project of obtaining a concession for the supply of black slaves to the Spanish colonies.

He puts his Madrid mistress Marquise de la Croix into the bed of the Spanish King Charles III.

1765 - end of March- Return of Beaumarchais to Paris.

1766 - Breaking off engagement with Pauline Le Breton.

1768 - 11 April - Beaumarchais remarries, his wife is the rich widow Madame Levesque, whose maiden name was Genevieve Watbled.

Together with Paris-Duvernay, he creates a company to exploit the Chinon Forest.

1770 - 13th of January - Beaumarchais presented his new play “Two Friends, or The Merchant of Lyon” to the public, which failed miserably.

1771 - January - Reforming parliaments.

February 22 - First act of Lablache's trial; the court of first instance recognizes the count's claims as groundless. March 14th - Lablache is appealing.

1773 -January 3- “The Barber of Seville” has been accepted for production at the Comedy Française.

April 6- Guezman's report, because of which Beaumarchais loses the case initiated by Lablache's appeal.

September- Publication of the first of four memoirs against Gozman.

1774 - January - The last memoir against Gozman.

End of February- Meeting with Maria Teresa de Villermavlaz.

March- Beaumarchais leaves for London as a secret agent. He comes into contact with Thévenot de Morand and buys from him a pamphlet directed against Madame DuBarry, entitled “Secret Notes of a Public Woman.”

June - October- A new trip to London on behalf of King Louis XVI to buy a pamphlet defaming Marie Antoinette.

The Angelucci case.

Beaumarchais in Vienna; meeting with Empress Maria Theresa.

Goethe publishes his play "Klavisch".

1775 - Contrary to Beaumarchais's wishes, Father Caron enters into a new marriage.

Louis XVI lifts the ban on the production of The Barber of Seville; February 23 the play is presented to the Parisian public in a five-act version, and it fails miserably; 25 February, after revision, it is performed on stage in four acts and is a stunning success.

May - Trip to London on the business of the Chevalier d'Eon.

Difficulties with d'Eon, culminating in the signing November 4 an agreement by which the gentleman recognized a change in his civil status.

The first appeal to Louis XVI with a call to support the rebellious American states.

December - The verdict in favor of the Comte de Lablache is declared invalid, the case is sent for review to the Parliament of Provence, which morally rehabilitates Beaumarchais.

1776 - June 10th - Beaumarchais receives one million livres from Vergennes to supply weapons to the rebel Americans, which he begins to carry out through the Rodrigo Gortales trading house he created.

August 18- Beaumarchais's first letter to the American Congress. 6 September - Parliament makes a decision on the rehabilitation of Beaumarchais.

November - After the thirty-second performance of The Barber of Seville, Beaumarchais, who decided that the Comedy Francaise infringed on his copyright, demanded from the theater's shareholders a detailed report on the proceeds from the production of the play.

The beginning of a love affair with Madame de Godville.

3 July - Beaumarchais hosts a meeting at his home of authors writing for the Comédie Française, at which they establish the Section of Playwrights, the ancestor of the Society of Literary Men.

United States.

21 July - The Parliament of Provence renders a verdict in favor of Beaumarchais in his litigation with the Comte de Lablache.

1779 - January 15 - Beaumarchais received a letter from John Jay, in which he promised that America would repay his debts.

Beaumarchais bought Voltaire's manuscripts from the publisher Pankuk and created the “Literary and Typographical Society” in Kehl to publish them.

1780 - August, 26th - Resolution of the State Council on the issue of copyright.

1781 - September 29 - The Marriage of Figaro has been accepted for production at the Comédie Française.

1782 - Beaumarchais cedes his position as royal secretary to Thévenot de France.

1783 - The Treaty of Versailles and the cessation of supplies of Beaumarchais to the Americans.

Publication of the first volumes of Voltaire's complete works.

Controversy with Mirabeau in the case of the Water Distribution Company.

Beaumarchais enters into a third marriage, he marries Maria Teresa de Villermavlaz, who was his mistress for ten years and bore him a daughter, Eugenie; after this marriage, Evgenia acquires the status of a legitimate child.

1787 - Appearance of Madame Hure de Lamarine.

Memoir of Bergas against Beaumarchais and in defense of the banker Cornman. War of pamphlets.

Acquisition of land next to the Bastille and the beginning of construction of a mansion.

July - Search of the Beaumarchais mansion, suspected of hiding weapons and food supplies.

1791 - Final move to a mansion on Boulevard Saint-Antoine.

July, 12 - The Kehl edition ends up in the motorcade transporting Voltaire's remains to the Pantheon.

1792 - 13th of January - The Decree on Literary Property was a success that crowned Beaumarchais' efforts.

April 3- Meeting with the Minister of War on the acquisition of 60 thousand Dutch rifles.

December - Beaumarchais's address to the Convention. He goes to London, where he is imprisoned for debt.

March - May - Beaumarchais returns to France, where, in response to the slander that has fallen upon him, he publishes a series of memoirs under the general title “Six stages of the nine most painful months of my life.”

He again leaves on assignment abroad and ends up on the list of emigrants.

1794 - Madame de Beaumarchais, Eugenie and Julie are imprisoned.

Beaumarchais rushes between London, Amsterdam and Basel, trying to complete the purchase of guns.

1795 - Having found refuge in Hamburg, Beaumarchais ekes out a miserable existence there, becomes close to Talleyrand and Abbe Louis; later receives some funds from America.

The conclusion of Pierre Augustin's new marriage with Therese, from whom he was divorced due to his forced emigration.

1797 - Resumption of the production of "Criminal Mother".

1799 - At night With 17 to 18 May Beaumarchais died of apoplexy.

Chronology of Aristotle's life 384 BC. BC Aristotle was born in Stagira on the Chalkidiki peninsula in Northern Greece. 367 BC. BC Aristotle begins to study at Plato's Academy in Athens, where he remains for 20 years. 347 BC. BC Aristotle leaves Athens without receiving the post

Chronology of Nietzsche's life October 15, 1844 Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was born in the Saxon city of Röcken. 1849 Death of Nietzsche's father. 1850 Nietzsche's mother moves the family to Naumburg. 1858 Nietzsche enters a boarding school in Pforte. 1864 Enters to the University of Bonn. 1865

Chronology of Machiavelli's life 1469 Niccolò Machiavelli was born in Florence. Power in the city passes to Lorenzo the Magnificent. 1478 Failed Pazzi conspiracy. Lorenzo miraculously remains alive. 1492 Death of Lorenzo the Magnificent. Columbus discovers America. To the papal throne

Chronology of Schopenhauer's life 1788 Arthur Schopenhauer was born in Danzig. 1793. The Schopenhauer family moved to Hamburg shortly before the occupation of Danzig by Prussia. 1803–1804. Schopenhauer accompanies his parents during a trip to Europe. 1805. Suicide of his father. 1807. Moving.

Chronology of Plato's life Around 428 BC. e. Birth of Plato on the island of Aegina (or in Athens). 399 BC. e. After the death of Socrates, Plato flees Athens, travels through North Africa, the Middle East and Southern Italy. Around 388 BC. e. Plato at the court of Dionysius I, ruler

Chronology of Kant's life 1724, April 22. Immanuel Kant was born in Königsberg, East Prussia. 1737 Death of his mother. 1740 Kant enters the University of Königsberg. 1746 Death of his father; Kant himself was forced to leave his studies and earn a living by giving private lessons. 1755

Chronology of Spinoza's life 1632? Spinoza was born in Amsterdam. 1646? Leibniz was born. 1648? The end of the Thirty Years' War, which devastated vast areas of Germany and Central Europe. 1650? Death of Descartes. 1654? Death of Spinoza's father and the ensuing legal battle with

Chronology of Kierkegaard's life 1813 Søren Kierkegaard was born in Copenhagen. 1830 Kierkegaard begins to study theology at the University of Copenhagen. 1834 Death of his mother. 1837 Kierkegaard first meets Regina Olsen, who was then 15 years old. 1838 His death father.1840

Chronology of Derrida's life 1930 Born in Algiers. 1940. A protectorate of the Nazi Third Reich is established over Algeria. 1942 Camus publishes “The Stranger” and “The Myth of Sisyphus”. After the introduction of racial laws and Jewish quotas, Derrida was expelled from school. Skips classes in

Chronology of the life of A.A. Vlasov September 1, 1901. Andrei Andreevich Vlasov was born in the village of Lomakino, Nizhny Novgorod province, in 1913. Entered theological school in Nizhny Novgorod in 1915. He graduated from theological school and entered the seminary. 1917. Moved to XI Nizhny Novgorod United

Chronology of Heidegger's life 1889, September 26.? Martin Heidegger was born in Messkirch in southern Germany. 1909? Begins to study theology at the University of Freiburg. 1911? Moves to the Faculty of Philosophy. 1913? Defends his dissertation “The Doctrine of Judgment” in psychology" and

Chronology of Hegel's life 1770, August 27. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was born in Stuttgart in 1781. Like other family members, he suffered from a severe fever. Death of mother. 1788 Begins to study theology at the University of Tübingen, where he meets Hölderlin and

CHRONOLOGY OF P.A.’S LIFE RUMYANTSEVA 1725, January 4 - in the family of diplomat and warrior A.I. Rumyantsev's son Peter was born. 1735 - Pyotr Rumyantsev was recorded as a private in the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. 1739 - appointed to the diplomatic service and enlisted in the Russian embassy in Berlin. 1740 -

Timeline of a Remarkable Life 1955 – Steve Jobs is born and adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs. 1971 – Jobs meets Steve Woz (Wozniak). 1976 – Apple is founded and debuts at Apple I. 1977 – Apple II is launched. 1978 – Jobs is born. daughter Lisa from a friend

Beaumarchais

Beaumarchais

Beaumarchais Pierre Augustin Caron (Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, 1732–18/V 1799) - French writer. The son of a watchmaker, he learned watchmaking and made improvements to watches at the age of 20. The famous watchmaker, to whom he told about his invention, tried to appropriate it for himself, but B. initiated proceedings against him at the Academy of Sciences and won the case. Thanks to this, he gained fame. Having gained access to Versailles, he abandoned his profession. In 1757 he married and added the nickname Beaumarchais to his surname. Musically gifted, he took up playing the harp and made some improvements in this instrument. Thanks to this, B. became a music teacher for the daughters of Louis XV; lively and unusually witty, he was a great success with them. Taking advantage of his position, he provided an important service to the major financier Paris-Duvernay. In gratitude for this, Paris-Duvernay made B. an accomplice in his financial enterprises. B. became very interested in financial speculation. At the same time, B. receives an important position related to the performance of judicial functions. In 1764 he travels to Madrid, where he forces the Spanish writer Clavigo, who refused to marry his sister, to write a statement in which he pleads guilty to breaking his word. In Madrid he experienced many adventures. Alone in a foreign country, surrounded by enemies, B. was not at a loss; he managed to penetrate the ministers, the king and achieve the removal of his opponent from the court and deprivation of his position (this story served as the plot for Goethe’s play “Clavigo”). At the same time, in Madrid he participates in various financial speculations, court entertainments and musical exercises. The Spaniards were delighted with his inexhaustible gaiety and wealth of imagination. Upon returning to Paris, B. made his debut in 1767 with the play “Eugene,” which had some success. In 1770 he released the drama "Two Friends", which had no success. In the same year, his patron Duvernay died; his heirs not only refused to pay B.'s debt, but accused the latter of deception. In the first instance, B. won the case, but in the second, he lost. According to the custom of that time, before discussing his case with Duvernay’s heirs, he visited his judges and presented gifts to the wife of the rapporteur in his case, Madame Guezman. But the matter was not decided in his favor; then Madame Guezman returned the gifts to him with the exception of 15 louis. He took this opportunity to bring a case against his judges. The judge in turn accused him of libel. Then B. published his memoirs, where he mercilessly denounced the judicial order of the then France. The memoirs were a resounding success and created great popularity for him. On February 26, 1774 the process ended; Judge Gezman lost his position, and his wife and B. received a “big reprimand.” But in 1776 B. was restored to his rights, and in 1778 he won a case with Duvernay’s heirs. The Barber of Seville was staged in 1775, The Marriage of Figaro in 1784, and The Guilty Mother in 1792. From 1792 to 1796 he had to wander around Europe; in 1796 he returned back to Paris, where he died.
Of B.'s works, the memoirs, “The Barber of Seville” and “The Marriage of Figaro” are of literary importance. The memoirs are written with remarkable skill. Voltaire was delighted with them. B. managed to give his business political significance. The mere thought of addressing the public was then extremely bold; in his memoirs, he reveals all the ulcers of the legal proceedings of that time, shows the public all stages of legal proceedings and introduces them as such. arr. the principle of publicity in a court case. On the literary side, B.'s memoirs are distinguished by their portrait characteristics, which are read with captivating interest.
In The Barber of Seville, Figaro is introduced for the first time, representing the original creation of B. He has many of the traits of B. Mocking, persistent, dexterous, inexhaustible in entangling and unraveling intrigues, never lost or discouraged - he knows how to find a way out of any provisions. He is the central figure. So. arr. already in this comedy the main character is a simple servant, personifying the third estate. But B.'s comic talent reaches its full flowering in The Marriage of Figaro. Its very plot is a mockery of the aristocracy; a simple servant dares to challenge his bride from a powerful feudal lord; Thanks to his resourcefulness, dexterity and wit, Figaro emerges victorious. In the play, a number of abusive institutions are subjected to the most caustic ridicule; it condemns the privileges of birth, the dishonesty of favorites, the sale of judicial positions, the shamelessness of lawyers, the greed of courtiers, and the pretensions of diplomats. This comedy was written by Beaumarchais in an extremely bold pamphlet style, but at the same time, The Marriage of Figaro represents the completion of the development of French bourgeois drama. To create it, B. used not only his life and literary experience. Diderot's theories, Rabelais's laughter, Moliere's social satire, Lesage's broad picture of morals, Italian intrigue, Spanish whimsicality - we find all these moments in The Marriage of Figaro. It represents a synthesis of all these elements and is the culminating point in the development of French dramatic art in the 18th century. Its success was colossal; The day of the first performance of The Marriage of Figaro - April 27, 1784 - remains a memorable date in the history of French comedy. She lasted 68 performances in a row. Comedy could not have come at a more timely time, in the years when the revolution was approaching. The audience was delighted; Never before have such daring speeches been heard from the stage, directed against existing institutions. Napoleon said that the play was “a revolution in action.” Figaro's famous monologue, where he contrasts himself with the count, who “gave himself the trouble” to be born, expressed the sentiments of the rising bourgeoisie. “The Marriage of Figaro” had a huge impact on the subsequent development of French theater and gained popularity throughout Europe. Mozart wrote an opera based on its plot, Rossini - on the plot of The Barber of Seville. As for The Guilty Mother, it represents the third part of the trilogy: it also features Figaro, aged and becoming virtuous. He exposes vice and helps the triumph of justice. But this comedy has no special artistic significance. Bibliography:
Göttner G., History of General Literature of the 18th Century, ed. 2nd, vol. II, M., 1897; Ivanov I., The political role of the French theater in connection with the philosophy of the 18th century, M., 1895; Hallays Andre, B., M., 1898; Veselovsky A., Sketches and Characteristics, M., 1903; Shakhov A., Voltaire and his time, St. Petersburg, 1907; Kogan P.S., Essays on the history of Western Europe. literature, vol. I, M. - P., 1923; de Loménie L., B. et son temps, II v., P., 1855; Bettelheim A., B., Frankfurt a/M., 1886; Lintilhac, B. et ses oeuvres. P., 1887; Brunetière F., Les époques du théâtre français (1636–1850), P., 1914; Réné Dalsème, La Vie de B., P., 1928.

Literary encyclopedia. - At 11 t.; M.: Publishing House of the Communist Academy, Soviet Encyclopedia, Fiction. Edited by V. M. Fritsche, A. V. Lunacharsky. 1929-1939 .

Beaumarchais

(Beaumarchais) Pierre Augustin Caron de (1732, Paris - 1799, ibid.), French writer.

Born into a family of craftsmen, he himself showed an ability for crafts and invention. He became a court watchmaker, then a harp teacher to the daughters of Louis XIV, and bought the nobility. He took part in court intrigues and scandals, tried to get rich by embarking on various financial and economic enterprises. Social life and legal proceedings became the main themes of Beaumarchais the writer in his Memoirs (1773-74), which brought him popularity and sympathy from readers. The story of saving the honor of Sister Beaumarchais, deceived by the Spanish journalist Clavijo, described in the “Fourth Memoir”, attracted the attention of I. V. Goethe, who wrote the play “Clavigo” (1774) based on this plot. As a playwright, Beaumarchais began by composing “parades” - farcical and comic plays for private theaters. Having become interested in new trends in drama, he became a supporter of the ideas of D. Diderot. Beaumarchais prefaced his drama “Eugenie” (1767) with a large “Essay on the Serious Dramatic Genre,” but did not succeed as a writer of sentimental dramas. The plays about Figaro brought fame to the writer: “The Barber of Seville, or a Vain Precaution” (1775), “The Marriage of Figaro, or a Mad Day” (1783-84). Using traditional comedic situations and types in “The Barber of Seville” (a nobleman in love wins back his beloved from his old guardian with the help of a clever servant), Beaumarchais transforms them in an original way, filling them with fresh and lively content, turning the barber Figaro into an image of a poet-adventurer close to the author himself. The original idea to create a dramatic sequel to “The Barber of Seville” allowed the writer to develop the comedic characters of Almaviva, Rosina, Bartolo, Basil and, most importantly, Figaro himself. In The Marriage of Figaro he is no longer an assistant to the protagonist, but the main character. The gaiety and lightness of the dialogues, the inventiveness of comic intrigues are combined in the play with the depiction of serious ethical and psychological situations and democratic critical pathos, especially clearly expressed in Figaro's last monologue. In the final part of the trilogy about Figaro - “The Criminal Mother” (post. 1792) - the satirical comedy gives way to melodrama: the characters of the aged heroes change, and their relationships also become different: the devoted servant Figaro restores peace in the family of the repentant count.
The operas “The Barber of Seville” (G. Rossini, 1816) and “The Marriage of Figaro” (W. A. ​​Mozart, 1786) were written based on Beaumarchais’s plays.

Literature and language. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Edited by prof. Gorkina A.P. 2006 .

See what "Beaumarchais" is in other dictionaries:

- (French Beaumarchais) French surname. Beaumarchais, Pierre Augustin Caron de French playwright and publicist. Beaumarchais, Antoine Labarre de French canon and writer. List of articles about namesakes ... Wikipedia

Beaumarchais. Beaumarchais Pierre Augustin Caron de (1732 1799) French playwright. Aphorisms, quotes from Beaumarchais. Beaumarchais. Biography What is an aristocrat? A person who bothered to be born. Nature said to the woman: be... ...

- (Beaumarchais) Pierre Augustin Caron de (1732 99), French playwright. The son of a Parisian watchmaker, gained access to the court of Louis XV. The comedies The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1784) brought Beaumarchais world fame, in... ... Modern encyclopedia

Beaumarchais- Beaumarchais. Beaumarchais pie. Beaumarchais. Zelenko 1902 461 … Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (Beaumarchais) Pierre Augustin Caron de (24.1.1732, Paris, 18.5.1799, ibid.), French playwright. Born into a watchmaker's family. Already in the first, so-called. “philistine dramas” “Eugenia” (1767), “Two Friends” (1770), B. paints pictures truthfully... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Beaumarchais P. O.- Beaumarchais Pierre Augustin (173299), French. playwright. The first two comedies of the trilogy about the talented and witty plebeian Figaro, The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1784), depict the conflict between the third estate and... ... Biographical Dictionary

BEAUMARCHAIS- (Beaumarchais), Pierre Augustin Caron de, b. 24 Jan 1732, d. May 19, 1799 in Paris; famous French writer, whose comedies: The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro provided the plots for two operas in which the genius of Rossini and Mozart showed itself in... ... Riemann's Dictionary of Music

Beaumarchais, Pierre Augustin Caron de (Caron de Beaumarchais) (1732 1799) Beaumarchais. Beaumarchais. Biography of French playwright. Beaumarchais was born on January 24, 1732 in Paris, in the family of a watchmaker. March 7, 1721 Beaumarchais's father, André Charles Caron, who was... ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

French literature

Pierre Augustin Caron Beaumarchais

Biography

Beaumarchais Pierre Augustin Caron (Beaumarchais) - famous French playwright and publicist, was born on January 24, 1732 in Paris. The son of a watchmaker, he initially took up his father's craft, but at the same time zealously studied music.

His musical talents and gift of conversation gave him access to high society, where he managed to make great connections that would later prove useful to him. He also managed to get to the court of Louis XV, whose daughters he taught to play the harp and, thanks to his marriage to two rich widows (Frank and Leveque), who both died very soon, as well as his partnership with the banker Duvernet, became the owner of a significant fortune.

In 1764, he went to Madrid on financial matters and here he killed in a duel the Spanish writer Clavigo, who had seduced his sister, which served as the plot of Goethe’s tragedy: “Clavigo.”

But in the midst of his trade speculations, Beaumarchais appeared before the public with two plays: “Eugenie” (1767) and “Les deux amis” (1770), of which only the first remained on stage. After the death of his companion Duvernay, Beaumarchais began a lawsuit with his heir, the Count of Blaque, and then he had the opportunity to show his amazing resourcefulness and talent in full brilliance. The litigation was heard in Parliament, and its subject was the claim of an unpaid debt declared by Duvernay's heir.

To gain access to the speaker Goetzmann, Beaumarchais presented his wife with a rich gift. When the trial was lost, the gift was returned to him, except for 15 louis, which went to Goetzmann's secretary. From here a new trial arose (1773) on charges of libel and attempted bribery. Beaumarchais was found by the trial court to be civilly dishonest and sentenced to branding. Then he wrote the famous “Memoires” (1774) in his defense; then “Suite de memoires” (1778), in which he managed to give his personal business the character of protecting the general rights of man and citizen.

At the same time, he mercilessly exposed the abuses of the then justice system and thereby won public opinion in his favor. These memoirs are an example of this kind of work in terms of the skill of presentation, the strength, naivety and originality of the style, the subtlety and causticity of the satire, the wittiest dialectic and fire, which even now captures and captivates the reader. Parliament saw itself forced to overturn the verdict of the first instance and somehow hush up the matter through an agreement.

The public's sympathy for Beaumarchais grew even more after the presentation of his classic theatrical comedies: The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1784), which made him the most beloved writer in France at that time. In both plays, Beaumarchais is the herald of the revolution and the ovation that was given to him after the performances proved that the people were very aware of this. “The Marriage of Figaro” lasted 100 performances in a row, and it was not for nothing that Napoleon said about it that with this play the curtain of revolutionary drama rose. When did the uprising begin? American colonies, Beaumarchais with great skill took care of delivering military supplies to them, making millions from it.

Involved in a new trial (1781) for complicity in the abduction of Kornmann's wife, Beaumarchais found an excellent opponent in Bargasse. He released Memoirs again, but without the same success. He won the trial, but this time the public was not on his side. In addition, the opera Tarare (1787) shook his fame as a writer, and the comedy La mere coupable (1792), which was closely related to Figaro, met with a very cold reception.

A luxurious edition of Voltaire’s works, very poorly executed, despite the enormous costs spent on it (Beaumarchais even set up a special printing press for this edition in Cal) brought Beaumarchais almost a million in losses.

He also lost significant sums in 1792, taking upon himself the supply of 60,000 guns to the Republican army. He escaped punishment only by fleeing to London, and a second time to Hamburg, from where he returned only in 1796. Beaumarchais tried to whitewash his behavior in this matter in “Mes six époques,” a suicide essay, which, however, did not return him the sympathy of the people.

Beaumarchais Pierre Augustin Caron (Beaumarchais) is a famous French publicist and playwright, born in Paris on January 24, 1732. My father was a watchmaker, which he himself initially did, and at the same time actively studied music.

His gift of conversation and musical talents gave him access to high society, where over time he was able to make great connections that would become very useful in the future. Beaumorchais managed to get into the palace of Louis XV himself and began teaching his daughters how to play the harp. Pierre Beaumarchais was twice married to rich people who died very suddenly. Thanks to them, as well as his acquaintance with the banker Duvernay, he became the owner of an impressive fortune.

In 1764 he went to Madrid on financial matters. There he killed the Spanish writer Clavigo, who had seduced his sister, in a duel, which became the plot of Goethe’s tragedy “Clavigo.” After the death of Duvernay, who was his companion, Pierre faced a lawsuit with Duvernay’s heir, Count Blaque, and here he had the opportunity to show his amazing talent and resourcefulness to the fullest. The litigation, the subject of which was an unpaid debt demanded by Duvernay's heir, was dealt with in parliament.

In order to have access to the speaker Goetzmann, Beaumarchais had to purchase an expensive gift for his wife. When he lost the case, the gift was returned to him, except for 15 louis, which went to Goetzmann's secretary. Based on these facts, a new trial arose in 1773 on charges of attempted bribery and libel.

Bormasche was involved in a new trial (1781) on charges of complicity in the abduction of Kornmann's wife, where he managed to find an excellent opponent in Bargasse. He managed to win the trial, but the public was against him. After this, his fame as a writer was shaken by the opera “Tarare” (1787).

In 1792 he lost a lot of money when he took on obligations to supply 60,000 guns during the Republican War. He fled to London, thus managing to avoid punishment, and then to Hamburg, from where he managed to return only in 1796. Beaumarchais tried to whitewash his behavior in his dying composition “Mes six epoques”, however, it failed to return him to the sympathy of the people. The writer died on May 19, 1799.

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais(fr. Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais; January 24, Paris - May 18, ibid.) - French playwright and publicist.

Encyclopedic YouTube

• 1 / 5

  Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais was born on January 24, 1732 in the city of Paris. The son of watchmaker André Charles Caron (1698-1775), he initially followed in his father's footsteps, but at the same time zealously studied music. Musical talents and oratory gave the young Caron access to high society, where he acquired great connections, which were very useful to him later. He even managed to get to the court of Louis XV, whose daughters he taught to play the harp. Thanks to two profitable marriages (both times he married rich widows - Franko and Leveque - and both times he was soon widowed), as well as cooperation with the banker Duverney, he became the owner of a significant fortune. After his first marriage, Caron adopted the more aristocratic-sounding surname “de Beaumarchais,” after the name of his wife’s estate. The death of his first wife gave rise to ill-wishers accusing him of her murder. These rumors, many decades later, were reflected in Pushkin’s play “Mozart and Salieri” (“Is it true, Salieri // that Beaumarchais poisoned someone?”), and in Salieri’s answer to this question: “he was too funny // for such a craft “- Pushkin quotes Voltaire’s original words about Beaumarchais on this matter. In reality, such accusations are extremely unlikely, since the death of his wife was very disadvantageous for the future playwright, who was left with a huge number of unpaid debts; He was able to return them only much later with the help of his friend Duvernay.

  1760-1780

  Almost simultaneously with The Marriage of Figaro, in 1784, Beaumarchais wrote an opera libretto called Tarar, originally intended for C. W. Gluck. However, Gluck could no longer work, and Beaumarchais offered the libretto to his follower Antonio Salieri, whose opera “The Danaids” was performed with great success in Paris. The exceptional success of Salieri's "Tarara" also strengthened the fame of the playwright.

  1780-1799

  When the War of American Independence began, Beaumarchais began supplying military supplies to the States, making millions from it. In 1781, a certain Kornman started a lawsuit against his own wife, accusing her of infidelity (adultery at that time was a criminal offense). Beaumarchais represented the interests of Madame Cornman at the trial and brilliantly won the trial, despite the fact that the lawyer Bargass, who represented the interests of her husband, was a very strong opponent. However, this time the sympathy of the public was predominantly not on the side of Beaumarchais.

  He again released Memoirs, but without the same success, and the comedy La mère coupable (), which completed the Figaro trilogy, met with a very cold reception.

  The luxurious edition of Voltaire's works, very poorly executed, despite the enormous funds spent on it (Beaumarchais even set up a special printing house for this edition in Calais), brought Beaumarchais almost a million in losses. He also lost significant sums in the year, taking upon himself an unfulfilled obligation to supply 60,000 guns to the French army. He escaped punishment only by fleeing to London, and then to Hamburg, from where he returned only in 1796. In connection with this case, Beaumarchais tried to justify himself in “Mes six époques,” a suicide essay, which, however, did not return him the sympathy of the public . He died on May 18, 1799.

  Bibliography

  Collected works of his were published by: Beauquier, “Thêatre de V.”, with notes (Par., 1872, 2 vols.), Molan (Par., 1874), Fournier (“Oeuvres compl è tes”, Par., 1875). His memoirs were published by S. Boeuf (Par., 1858, 5 vols.).

  • 1765-1775 - Le Sacristain, interlude (predecessor to The Barber of Seville)
  • 1767 - “Eugenia” ( Eugenie), drama
  • 1767 - L'Essai sur le genre dramatique sérieux.
  • 1770 - “Two Friends” ( Les Deux amis ou le Négociant de Lyon), drama
  • 1773 - “The Barber of Seville” ( Le Barbier de Séville ou la Précaution inutile), comedy
  • 1773-1774 - Memoirs ( Memoires contre Goezman)
  • 1775 - “A modest letter about the failure and criticism of The Barber of Seville” ( La Lettre modérée sur la chute et la critique du “Barbier de Sérville”)
  • 1778 - “A Mad Day, or The Marriage of Figaro” (La Folle journée ou Le Mariage de Figaro), comedy
  • 1784 - Preface du mariage de Figaro
  • 1787 - “Tarar” ( Tarare), drama, libretto for the opera by Antonio Salieri
  • 1792 - “The Guilty Mother, or the Second Tartuffe” ( La Mère coupable ou L'Autre Tartuffe), drama, third part of the Figaro trilogy
  • 1799 - Voltaire et Jesus-Christ.

  Notes

  Literature

  • Frederic Grandel Beaumarchais // Beaumarchais: ou, la calomnie. Paris, Flammarion, 1973; Translation from French by L. Zonina and L. Lungina; M., “Book”, 1986. 400 pp.
  • R. Zernova. Ch. “Pierre Augustin Beaumarchais” - from “Writers of France”, M. Publishing house “Prosveshcheniye”, 1964.
  • Salieri and Beaumarchais. Opera and revolution / Boris Kushner. In defense of Antonio Salieri
  • Foxes in the vineyard. Lion Feuchtwanger. Historical novel.