Antoine de Montchrestien (Falaise in Normandy c. 1575 - Falaise, October 7 or 8 1621) was a French soldier, dramatist, adventurer and economist. Son of an apothecary named Mauchrestien and orphan at a young age, Montchrestien came under the protection of François Thésart, baron de Tournebu and des Essarts, and became the valet of Thésart's children (allowing him to participate in their studies); he would later (1618) marry Thésart's daughter Suzanne. Later in his life he would also be favored by Henri II de Bourbon, prince de Condé. Falaise is the name of several communes in France: Falaise, in the Ardennes département Falaise, in the Calvados département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Jump to: navigation, search Mont Saint Michel is a historic pilgrimage site and a symbol of Normandy Normandy is a geographical region in northern France. ... Events February 13 - Henry III of France is crowned at Reims February 14 - Henry III of France marries Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont June 28 - Oda Nobunaga defeats Takeda Katsuyori in the battle of Nagashino, which has been called Japans first modern battle. ... Falaise is the name of several communes in France: Falaise, in the Ardennes département Falaise, in the Calvados département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Jump to: navigation, search October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years). ... Events February 9 - Gregory XV is elected pope. ... An economist is someone who studies Economics. ... Apothecary (someone pronounce this word here)is a historical name for a medical practitioner who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist. ... Henry II of Bourbon (September 1, 1588 – December 26, 1646) became Prince of Condé shortly after his birth, following the death of his father Henry I in battle. ...

Montchrestien initially sought a literary career (inspired by François de Malherbe): in 1595 he published his first tragedy, Sophonisbe or La Carthaginoise. In 1601, he published five more plays: the tragedies L'Ecossaise (on Mary Stuart), Les Lacènes, David ou l'Adultère, Aman, and the pastoral La Bergerie. In 1604, he added his tragedy Hector (which may not have been performed). François de Malherbe François de Malherbe (1555 - October 16, 1628) was a French poet, critic and translator. ... Jump to: navigation, search For the Renaissance painter Sofonisba Anguissola (ca. ... Mary Stuart is one of the names by which Mary I of Scotland is known. ... Jump to: navigation, search Michelangelos David. ... Haman is the villain in the Book of Esther. ... In Greek mythology, Hector (holding fast), or Hektor, was a Trojan prince and one of the greatest fighters in the Trojan War, equal to Ajax and surpassed only by Achilles. ...

Montchrestien was involved in several duels (illegal in France from 1602 on); in 1603 he was left near dead; in 1604 or 1605 he killed his opponent and was forced to flee to England temporarily to avoid royal prosecution, but most likely through the influence of James I, to whom he dedicated his tragedy, L'Ecossaise, he was allowed to return to France, and he established himself at Auxonne-sur-Loire, where he set up a steel foundry. [[Media:Example. ... Jump to: navigation, search James VI of Scots and James I of England and Ireland (Charles James) (19 June 1566–27 March 1625) ruled England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

In 1615 he published a brillant work on economy, Traité de l'économie politique, based chiefly on the works of Jean Bodin. From around this time, Montchrestien was favored with several official positions (including governor of Châtillon-sur-Loire in 1617) which were financially advantageous, and he took the title "baron" and married. Jean Bodin (1530-1596) was a French jurist, member of the Parliament of Paris and professor of Law in Toulouse. ...

In 1620 Montchrestien joined the rebellion of the Huguenots (there is no evidence that he shared the religious opinions of the party for which he fought; he had earlier belonged to the moderate party which had rallied round Henry IV) and was forced to fight against his former protector the prince de Condé. Unable to hold the city of Sancerre, Montchrestien returned to Normandy to attempt a raise troops, but on the night of October 7, 1621, he was discovered in an inn near Falaise and was killed. Tried posthumously, Montchrestien's body was put on the wheel and burned for lèse-majesté. Jump to: navigation, search In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, or historically as the French Calvinists. ... Henry IV (French: Henri IV) (December 13, 1553 – May 14, 1610), called the Great (French: le Grand), was the first of the Bourbon kings of France, reigning from 1589 until 1610. ... The city Sancerre Sancerre is one of the most famous white wines in France named from the city Sancerre. ... Jump to: navigation, search Mont Saint Michel is a historic pilgrimage site and a symbol of Normandy Normandy is a geographical region in northern France. ... Jump to: navigation, search October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years). ... Events February 9 - Gregory XV is elected pope. ... Lese majesty, leze majesty, or lèse majesté (from the Latin Laesa maiestatis, injury to the Majesty) is the crime of violating majesty, an offense against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state. ...

Montchrestien's theater

Together with Robert Garnier and Alexandre Hardy, Montchrestien is one of the founders of 17th century French drama. Robert Garnier (c. ... Alexandre Hardy (1569?–1631) was a French dramatist, one of the most prolific of all time. ...

Montchrestien's tragedies are "regular"; they are in five acts, in verse and use a chorus; battles and shocking events occur off stage and are reported by messengers. His style shows an attention to detail (he reworked his verses extensively), and avoids both pedantry and convoluted syntax (unlike Alexandre Hardy). He was fond of laments, the use of stichomythia and "gnomic" or sententious lines (often indicated in his published plays by the use of marginal quotation marks). Stichomythia is a technique in drama or poetry, in which alternating lines, or half-lines, are given to alternating characters, voices, or entities. ...

Montchrestien's plays have been frequently criticized for being too close to Renaissance or Senecan tragedy in their lack of dramatic action and concentration on pathos and lament, and also for their dramatic inconsistancies. In L'Ecossaise, Elizabeth first pardons Mary Queen of Scots, and no explanation is given of the change that leads to her execution. In Hector, the first two acts have Andromache, Priam and Hecuba trying to convince Hector to avoid fighting; act three has Hector rushing to the battle without a word to aid his faltering troops; act four has the residents of Troy believe that Hector has won the battle; the final act relates Hector's death and the play ends in lamentation. Jump to: navigation, search By region Italian Renaissance Northern Renaissance French Renaissance German Renaissance English Renaissance The Renaissance, also known as Il Rinascimento (in Italian), was an influential cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ... Seneca has several significant meanings: Seneca the Elder Seneca the Younger Seneca tribe Seneca crater Seneca (plant) Seneca College, Toronto, Ontario Places in the United States of America: Seneca, Pennsylvania Seneca, South Carolina Seneca, Wisconsin Seneca County, New York Seneca, New York Seneca Lake Seneca Falls (village), New York Senecaville... Jump to: navigation, search Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... Mary I of Scotland; known as Mary, Queen of Scots Mary I of Scotland (Mary Stuart or Stewart) (December 8, 1542 – February 8, 1587), better known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was the ruler of Scotland from December 14, 1542 – July 24, 1567. ... Andromache grieves the loss of Hector In Greek mythology, Andromache was the wife of Hector and daughter of Eetion, sister to Podes. ... In Greek mythology, Priam (Greek Πρίαμος) was the king of Troy during the Trojan War, and son of Laomedon. ... Hecuba (also Hekuba or Hekabe) was a Trojan queen in Greek mythology, daughter of Dymas. ... In Greek mythology, Hector (holding fast), or Hektor, was a Trojan prince and one of the greatest fighters in the Trojan War, equal to Ajax and surpassed only by Achilles. ... Jump to: navigation, search Walls of the excavated city of Troy (Turkey) This article is about the ancient city of Ilion as described in the works of Homer, and the location of an ancient city associated with it. ...

Despite this lack of action, there is a great debate of ideas in this play (Is it better to seek glory or remain prudent? If prudence is mocked, does it affect one's reputation? Is one's duty to one's parents and king superior to one's duty to personal honor? Is virtue seen only through action?) that prefigures the dramatic debates and cult of heroism of Pierre Corneille (Horace, Le Cid) and Montchrestien's emotional women (touched by dreams and bad omens) also mirror Corneille's tragic female characters. Pierre Corneille (June 6, 1606–October 1, 1684) was a French tragedian who was one of the three great dramatists produced by France during the 17th century, along with Molière and Racine. ...

Montchrétien's Aman has been compared not too unfavourably with Jean Racine's Esther, and the hatred of Haman for Mordecai is expressed with more vigour than in Racine's play. Jean Racine (December 22, 1639 - April 21, 1699) was a French dramatist, one of the big three of 17th century France (along with Molière and Corneille). ...

Poet, economist, iron-master, and soldier, Montchrétien represents the many-sided activity of a time before literature had become a profession, and before its province had been restricted in France to polite topics.

Reference

• Patrick Dandrey, ed. Dictionnaire des lettres françaises: Le XVIIe siècle. Collection: La Pochothèque. Paris: Fayard, 1996.
• Jacques Scherer, ed. Théâtre du XVIIe siècle. (An anthology). Collection: Bibliothèque de la Pléiade. Paris: Gallimard, 1975.

• This entry incorporates a few sentences of public domain text originally from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica.