Jean de La Fontaine

The Grangcr Collection and Jean de La Fontaine

  • General Introduction to Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695)

    • Education and Early Life

    • Received a religious education at l'Oratoire.

    • Undertook legal studies in Paris starting in 1646.

    • Literary Career

    • Became part of a small literary and social academy, leading to a career in literature.

    • Experienced financial troubles prompting him to seek patronage from influential figures such as:

      • Mme de Montespan

      • Mme de la Sablière

      • Prince de Condé

    • Social and Artistic Involvement

    • Moved in elite artistic circles due to his literary talents.

    • Elected to the Académie française in 1684 despite opposition from the king, who had previously denied his election.

    • Major Works

    • Authored various plays, tales, and poems.

    • Gained his primary reputation from his fables, published across 12 volumes from 1668 to 1693.

    • His fables were inspired by ancient fables, notably those of Aesop.

Literary Theories and Goals of La Fontaine

  • Preface to the Fables

    • La Fontaine states his dual aim of being "useful as well as pleasant."

    • This goal aligns with a literary principle of the era.

    • He describes his work using the metaphor of an apologue:

    • Definition of Apologue:

      • Comprised of two parts:

      • "Body": The fable itself.

      • "Soul": The moral or lesson derived from the fable.

Importance of Harmony and Pleasurable Writing

  • La Fontaine emphasizes the significance of harmony in poetry, stating:

    • "There is no good poetry without harmony."

  • The aim is to engage the reader through gaiety:

    • "A certain charm, a pleasant air, which can be given to all sorts of subjects, even the most serious."

  • Utility of His Work:

    • Justifies the use of allegory as a storytelling device, referencing religious truths as an example.

    • Defines utility not solely in terms of moral teaching but also in expanding the reader's knowledge.

  • Incorporation of Animals:

    • The presence of animal characters is purposeful:

    • "We are the abridged version of what is good and bad in irrational creatures."

    • Allusion to Prometheus:

    • Argues that Prometheus formed man by taking qualities from various animals, resulting in the creation of humanity, or "the little world."

Major Fables

The Frog Who Wanted to Inflate Herself to the Size of the Ox

  • Summary of the Fable:

    • A frog sees a large ox and envies its size.

    • Despite being roughly the size of an egg, the frog strains to inflate herself to match the ox, repeatedly asking a sister frog whether she has succeeded.

    • Ultimately, the frog inflates so much that she bursts.

  • Moral Interpretation:

    • "The world is full of people who are no wiser."

    • Commentary on social aspirations:

    • "Every bourgeois wants to build like the great lords; every little prince has ambassadors; every marquis wants pages."

  • Literary Techniques:

    • La Fontaine's skill in varying poetic rhythms is noted.

The Ant and the Grasshopper

  • Summary of the Fable:

    • The grasshopper, having sung all summer, finds itself destitute when winter arrives, lacking food.

    • The grasshopper approaches the ant for assistance, promising to repay before harvest.

    • The ant scorns the grasshopper, asking what it did during the warm months.

    • The grasshopper admits to singing, and the ant retorts, "Then dance now!"

  • Literary Structure:

    • La Fontaine presents only the fable without a direct moral, prompting readers to interpret the ending words of the ant, often seen as the fable’s message.

    • Readers are encouraged to analyze emotional distance and voice tones within the poem:

    • Queries regarding the poet's emotional stance and the implications of varying line lengths are posed.

    • Rhyme and meter variations within stanzas reflect different tones of the characters.

Vocabulary and Definitions

  • Keywords:

    • Cigale: Cicada, a type of Mediterranean grasshopper.

    • Dépourvue: Destitute or lacking resources.

    • Vermisseau: Small earthworm.

    • L'août: August, typically correlating with the harvest.

    • Défaut: A fault or blunder, expressed ambiguously in context.

    • Ne vous déplaise: A polite way of saying, "with your permission."

Conclusion

  • La Fontaine’s works represent a fusion of entertainment and moral edification, maintaining relevance through their commentary on human nature and societal behaviors, enabled by harmonious poetic techniques and rich allegorical content. The analysis invites readers to interpret deeper meanings behind seemingly simple fables, reflecting on the human condition.

Jean de La Fontaine était un poète du mouvement littéraire du classicisme, qui s'est développé au XVIIe siècle. Il a écrit sous le règne de Louis XIV, le roi connu pour son pouvoir absolu, souvent décrit comme le "Roi Soleil". Louis XIV exerçait un contrôle significatif sur l'art et la littérature, promouvant des œuvres qui affichaient le bon goût classique et servaient à glorifier son règne ainsi qu'à renforcer l'autorité monarchique. Les artistes, y compris les écrivains, étaient souvent en quête du patronage royal, ce qui influençait leurs créations en matière de contenu et de style.

Les deux objectifs primordiaux de La Fontaine dans la fable étaient d'être "utile ainsi que plaisant". Cela reflète un principe littéraire de l'époque. Selon La Fontaine, la poésie devait accomplir l'engagement du lecteur à travers une certaine gaieté, ce qui pourrait donner un charme agréable à tous les sujets, même les plus sérieux.

Un exemple de fable est "La Grenouille qui se voulait faire aussi grosse que le bœuf". Dans cette fable, une grenouille jalouse de la taille d'un bœuf essaie de s'agrandir pour lui ressembler, mais finit par éclater, illustrant la vanité et les dangers de l'envie.