In the grand narrative of French literary history, the 17th century stands out as a transformative period. It was a time when the French language underwent refinement, literary culture flourished, and new ideals of clarity, balance, and decorum took root. One of the pivotal figures in this intellectual and artistic revolution was Claude Favre de Vaugelas (1585–1650). Though less widely recognized today than contemporaries such as Corneille or La Fontaine, Vaugelas was instrumental in defining the linguistic standards that shaped 17th Century French poetry and prose alike.
More grammarian and stylist than prolific French poet, Vaugelas nonetheless deeply influenced the poetic traditions of his time through his theoretical writings, particularly those concerned with correct usage and eloquence in the French language. His commitment to linguistic clarity and elegance left an indelible mark on French poetry and on the work of later poets and dramatists.
This article explores Vaugelas’ life, his involvement with the Académie Française, his linguistic philosophy, poetic contributions, and his legacy in the broader framework of 17th-century literature. Comparisons with other poets of his time will further illuminate his unique role in this critical era.
Claude Favre de Vaugelas
Claude Favre de Vaugelas was born in 1585 in Meximieux, located in the Duchy of Savoy. Although born outside the geographical bounds of the Kingdom of France, he was culturally and politically connected to the French world. His family was noble but not wealthy, and Vaugelas’ ascent into the intellectual elite was primarily due to his scholarship and refined command of language.
As a child, Vaugelas received a classical education typical of the humanist tradition of the Renaissance. Latin and Greek were central to his training, providing him with access to the philosophical and literary canon of antiquity. This classical grounding later informed his views on linguistic structure, harmony, and clarity.
After moving to Paris, Vaugelas became immersed in court life. He served as a gentleman-in-waiting to Gaston, Duke of Orléans, the brother of King Louis XIII. This position gave him direct access to the refined linguistic practices of the aristocracy. For Vaugelas, the court was not just a place of political power, but a crucible of cultural standards—especially linguistic ones. It was here that his ideas on correct and elegant French speech began to crystallize.
Vaugelas and the Académie Française
One of Vaugelas’ most lasting contributions was his role in the creation of the Académie Française, which was established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu. As one of its original 40 members, Vaugelas helped lay the groundwork for an institution whose purpose was to regulate the French language, enrich its vocabulary, and ensure consistency in usage.
The Académie aimed to elevate French poetry and prose by codifying the rules of grammar, syntax, and spelling. It was a linguistic response to the perceived chaos and inconsistency of the time—a way to bring order to the evolving French language. The idea was not to fossilize the language but to refine and clarify it, ensuring it was fit for literary greatness and international prestige.
Vaugelas quickly became one of the leading figures in the Académie. He was entrusted with producing a comprehensive commentary on correct language use. His magnum opus, Remarques sur la langue française, was first published in 1647 and became a definitive text for authors, poets, and orators. While it was not a poem, its influence on 17th Century French poetry was immense.
In this work, Vaugelas asserted that the French spoken by the upper class—especially those in the royal court—represented the most correct form of the language. He believed the court was the arbiter of taste and linguistic refinement, and that poetry should align with its ideals of clarity and decorum.
Linguistic Philosophy and Influence
Vaugelas’ linguistic philosophy can be summed up in three key principles: clarity, purity, and decorum. For him, the beauty of the French language lay in its precision and elegance. He rejected obscure or excessively ornate expressions, believing that language should be a clear and faithful mirror of thought.
He insisted that the best guide for correct French was “le bon usage” (good usage), meaning the speech and writing of the best-educated and most refined members of society. This notion of “good usage” was revolutionary because it shifted the focus from the rules of classical Latin or regional dialects to a socially defined standard of correctness.
Vaugelas’ prescriptions had a broad impact. Writers and poets seeking prestige and recognition began to align their work with his standards. The result was a more unified and standardized form of French, which facilitated the rise of classical literature.
In French poetry, this meant a move away from the sometimes excessive styles of the late Renaissance. Vaugelas inspired poets to focus on order, proportion, and clear emotional expression. This was especially influential in the transition toward neoclassicism, where poetic form and linguistic restraint became hallmarks of literary excellence.
Vaugelas’ Poetry and Style
Although Claude Favre de Vaugelas is more often remembered as a grammarian and stylist, he did engage in the practice of poetry. His poetic works, though not voluminous, are instructive in demonstrating how linguistic ideals could manifest in verse.
His poems typically reflect themes of honor, virtue, and intellectual elegance. They are not emotional outbursts or dramatic spectacles, but refined reflections. His language is measured and devoid of excess. This aligns with his belief that words should never obscure meaning but instead serve it with grace and economy.
Unlike some contemporaries who used poetry as a vehicle for religious fervor or baroque experimentation, Vaugelas approached it almost as a linguistic exercise. His poems are carefully structured, syntactically balanced, and driven by the desire for linguistic perfection. This makes his work somewhat less accessible to modern readers seeking passion or narrative excitement, but it also reveals the mind of a man devoted to the purity of expression.
In this sense, Vaugelas represents a type of 17th Century French poet who was less concerned with quantity or fame and more focused on setting an enduring linguistic example.
Comparison with Contemporary Poets
To fully understand Vaugelas’ role in 17th Century French poetry, it is helpful to place him in relation to several prominent poets of his era.
Pierre Corneille (1606–1684)
Corneille was one of the most celebrated playwrights and poets of 17th-century France. His dramas, such as Le Cid and Horace, are filled with rhetorical grandeur and moral tension. While Corneille also valued clarity, he employed a more forceful and formal diction than Vaugelas. Where Vaugelas prized linguistic restraint, Corneille used language to evoke dramatic intensity. Nevertheless, both figures were key to defining classical standards in French literature.
Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695)
La Fontaine’s Fables brought vivid characters and social satire to French poetry. He was playful, ironic, and often subversive. His language was colloquial and imaginative, very different from the structured and courtly tone of Vaugelas. Yet La Fontaine also benefited from the linguistic groundwork laid by Vaugelas, using a purified form of French to craft accessible and memorable verse.
François de Malherbe (1555–1628)
Malherbe was an earlier influence on Vaugelas and perhaps the poet most aligned with his ideals. Malherbe advocated for purity, clarity, and discipline in poetic language. Vaugelas admired and extended Malherbe’s principles, moving them from poetic theory into broader linguistic practice through the Académie.
Honoré d’Urfé (1567–1625)
D’Urfé’s L’Astrée, a pastoral romance filled with lyrical and flowery language, contrasts sharply with Vaugelas’ refined and disciplined style. D’Urfé represented the lingering Renaissance spirit of expressive excess, while Vaugelas signaled the new direction of restraint and classicism.
Vaugelas and the Classical Movement
The classical movement in French literature, which reached its height in the later 17th century, was characterized by a return to ancient ideals of harmony, order, and proportion. Vaugelas, though not a leading poet of the movement, was foundational in enabling its rise.
By providing a linguistic framework based on clarity and correctness, Vaugelas ensured that writers could focus on the aesthetic principles of classical art without getting bogged down in linguistic confusion. His standards became the scaffolding on which poets like Racine and Boileau built their masterpieces.
In this way, the influence of this 17th Century French poet was more infrastructural than artistic. He was the architect of the very language in which classical French drama, poetry, and philosophy would be written.
Impact on French Language and Poetry
The long-term impact of Claude Favre de Vaugelas on French poetry and language cannot be overstated. His Remarques served not only as a linguistic guide but also as a cultural manifesto. Writers who followed his guidelines contributed to a golden age of French literature that became a model for Europe.
Poets adopted his principles to refine their meter, clarify their metaphors, and purge their verse of ambiguity. Educators used his work to teach generations of students. Diplomats relied on his linguistic norms when composing correspondence in what would soon become the international language of culture and diplomacy.
Even in later centuries, the ideals he championed—linguistic consistency, refined usage, and cultural elevation—remained central to French literary identity. Today, the Académie Française still stands as a guardian of the French language, echoing the principles he articulated nearly four centuries ago.
Although modern readers may not study his poems in anthologies, and linguistics has evolved past some of his prescriptive approaches, Vaugelas’ influence remains foundational. His contribution to French poetry lies not just in his own verse, but in the clear, elegant language he championed—language that enabled others to create enduring works of art.
For scholars of 17th Century French poets, Vaugelas is a figure of intellectual rigor and aesthetic discipline. His work reminds us that poetry is not only a matter of inspiration, but also of craft, language, and form.
Conclusion
Claude Favre de Vaugelas occupies a unique and influential position in the history of 17th Century French poetry. As both a French poet and a linguistic reformer, he shaped the standards by which poetry was written, evaluated, and appreciated. His insistence on clarity, correctness, and decorum influenced not only his contemporaries but also the generations that followed.
Through his work with the Académie Française, his seminal Remarques, and his poetic ideals, Vaugelas helped usher in a new era of linguistic refinement. His legacy endures in the precise and elegant language that continues to define French poetry and literature.
While he may not be the most famous name among 17th-century literary figures, Claude Favre de Vaugelas remains one of its most essential architects.
