Boileau-Despréaux, Nicolas, << bwah LOH day pray OH, nee kaw LAH >> (1636-1711), was a French poet and critic of the Classical Age. His book of literary criticism, The Art of Poetry (1674), influenced French and English literature during the 1700’s. Boileau wrote the book in the form of elegant couplets (groups of two related lines of rhymed poetry). In it, he defined great writing as lively, clear, imaginative, stylistically pure, and providing a deep emotional impact. Boileau wrote about life and literature of his time in 12 Satires (1666-1711) and 12 Epistles (1668-1698).
Boileau was born on Nov. 1, 1636, in Paris and spent most of his life there. He was a favorite of King Louis XIV. Boileau and a friend, playwright Jean Racine, were appointed royal historians in 1677. Boileau died on March 13, 1711.
