Lesage, Alain-René, << luh SAZH, a LAN ruh NAY >> (1668-1747), was a French novelist and dramatist. He first practiced law, but left this career to become a writer. He was among the first to earn his living by writing. Lesage’s most famous work, the novel Gil Blas (1715-1735), is a witty satire set in Spain. The story is told in the first person by Gil Blas, who learns to his sorrow that life can be harsh when one has to make one’s own way without help. His innocence and vanity make him an easy victim. Lesage’s most notable play is Turcaret (1709), a satirical comedy of the manners and behavior of financial speculators. Lesage was born on May 6, 1668, in Sarzeau. He died on Nov. 17, 1747.
