Jean de La Fontaine
Who was Jean de La Fontaine?
French poet, fabulist and writer (1621–1695)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Jean de La Fontaine (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Jean de La Fontaine was born on July 8, 1621, in Château-Thierry, a small town in northeastern France. As the son of a minor royal official, he went to the College of Juilly and later studied law and theology in Paris. In 1647, he married Marie Héricart, the daughter of a lieutenant criminel, though their marriage was troubled and distant. In 1652, La Fontaine took over his father's job as Master of Waters and Forests, where he oversaw timber rights and forest management in the Château-Thierry region.
La Fontaine started his writing career in the 1650s when he moved to Paris and mingled with intellectual groups supported by wealthy patrons. His early works included verse tales and adaptations of classical literature, but he truly excelled in writing fables. Inspired by Aesop, Phaedrus, and other ancient sources, La Fontaine turned simple moral tales into sophisticated literary pieces that mixed entertainment with teaching. His first collection of Fables came out in 1668, dedicated to the six-year-old Dauphin, and this established him as a master of the genre.
The release of his Fables in several volumes from 1668 to 1694 made La Fontaine one of France's greatest poets. His work skillfully combined everyday French with classical references, offering accessible yet deep insights into human nature and society. His animal characters often served as a means to criticize the corruption and hypocrisy he saw in Louis XIV's court. Despite his success, La Fontaine frequently faced financial problems and relied on the support of influential people like Nicolas Fouquet and Madame de La Sablière.
La Fontaine's relationship with the royal authority was complicated. His connection with Nicolas Fouquet, who dramatically fell from favor in 1661, initially made him suspicious in official circles. However, his growing literary fame and the wide appeal of his Fables eventually helped him overcome political challenges. In 1684, he was finally admitted to the Académie Française, though he had to promise to focus on more serious writing. He died on April 13, 1695, in Paris, securing his place as one of France's most beloved writers and leaving a legacy that would shape European literature for centuries.
Before Fame
Before becoming well-known for his writing, La Fontaine lived a typical middle-class life in provincial France. His father's role as Master of Waters and Forests gave the family modest wealth and some social status. At first, La Fontaine followed the expected path for someone of his background, studying for the priesthood before switching to law. His early adult life was marked by financial carelessness and a lack of clear focus.
The lively intellectual scene in 17th-century France, with its interest in classical literature and the polish of the French language, offered opportunities for talented writers to gain support from the wealthy elite. La Fontaine entered Paris's literary world thanks to friendships with other writers and his skill in creating elegant verse. The era's focus on wit, moral lessons, and literary sophistication suited his knack for keen observation and poetic talent.
Key Achievements
- Published twelve books of Fables between 1668 and 1694 that became classics of French literature
- Elected to the Académie Française in 1684 despite initial royal opposition
- Created over 240 fables that established the definitive French model for the genre
- Influenced European fable writing for centuries with translations appearing in dozens of languages
- Developed a distinctive poetic style combining colloquial French with sophisticated literary techniques
Did You Know?
- 01.La Fontaine was known for his absent-mindedness and once reportedly failed to recognize his own son after a long separation
- 02.He wrote his fables in free verse rather than the traditional alexandrine meter favored by his contemporaries
- 03.His patron Nicolas Fouquet was arrested for embezzlement just as La Fontaine was dedicating a work to him, forcing the poet to hastily revise his dedication
- 04.La Fontaine lived in the home of Madame de La Sablière for nearly twenty years, supported by her generosity after other patrons died or fell from favor
- 05.Despite being France's most famous fabulist, he also wrote scandalous tales called 'contes' that were considered quite risqué for their time