About
Émile Augier, born on September 17, 1820 in Valence and died on October 25, 1889 in Croissy-sur-Seine, was a major French playwright of the Second Empire period. Grandson of the novelist Pigault-Lebrun, he studied law before turning to theater. His first play, La Ciguë (1844), was a success at the Odéon. He was elected to the Académie française in 1857. His comedies of manners, such as Le Gendre de Monsieur Poirier (1854) and Les Effrontés (1861), satirized greed, social hypocrisy, and corruption, while championing bourgeois family values. He also wrote the libretto for Gounod's opera Sapho and published a collection of poetry.
* 1820-09-17 — † 1889-10-25
Major works
- La Ciguë (1844)verse comedy
- Le Gendre de Monsieur Poirier (1854)play
- Les Effrontés (1861)play
- Le Fils de Giboyer (1862)play
- Les Fourchambault (1879)play
Key milestones
- 1844First play, La Ciguë, successfully performed at the Odéon.
- 1857Elected to the Académie française, seat 1.
- 1868Promoted to commander of the Legion of Honour.
Themes
Satire of bourgeois mannersGreed and corruptionSocial hypocrisyFamily valuesMarriage and social classes
Sources: academie-francaise.fr · britannica.com · data.bnf.fr