Claude Favre de Vaugelas, French educator and courtier (d. 1650)

Claude Favre de Vaugelas: Architect of Classical French (1585-1650)

Claude Favre de Vaugelas, born on January 6, 1585, and passing away on February 26, 1650, was a distinguished Savoyard grammarian, astute man of letters, and a pivotal figure in the standardization of the French language during the flourishing 17th century, often referred to as the Grand Siècle. While a lifelong courtier deeply connected to the French aristocracy, he became universally recognized by the esteemed names of the landed estates he held: the seigneurie of Vaugelas and the barony of Peroges. This practice was common among the nobility of the era, where one's identity was frequently intertwined with their territorial possessions.

Born in Meximieux, within the Duchy of Savoy, Vaugelas's noble lineage was significant. His father, Jean Favre, was a highly distinguished jurist and academic, serving notably as President of the Parliament of Savoy. The Vaugelas estate itself was inherited through his mother, also named Favre, whose birthright it was. This established a foundation of both intellectual and material prominence for Claude.

Life at Court and Royal Patronage

Vaugelas embarked on a career deeply embedded within the royal court, serving as a gentleman-in-waiting to Gaston, Duke of Orléans. Gaston, the younger brother of King Louis XIII, was a significant but often tumultuous figure known for his numerous conspiracies and periods of political disgrace, particularly against the powerful cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin. Despite these challenging circumstances, Vaugelas demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the Duke. This fidelity, however, came at a personal cost: he lost a crucial pension from the crown, a primary source of his financial stability, highlighting the precarious nature of life dependent on royal favor.

Founding the Académie française and the Genesis of the "Remarques"

Vaugelas's profound mastery of the French language and his exemplary, precise speech were widely acknowledged. This linguistic expertise earned him a prestigious position as one of the original members – famously known as the "Forty Immortals" – of the Académie française upon its official establishment by Cardinal Richelieu in 1634. The Académie's foundational mission was ambitious: to codify, regulate, and perfect the French language, ensuring its clarity, purity, and universal comprehension. Recognizing the immense value of his ongoing linguistic work, his colleagues at the Académie successfully petitioned for the restoration of his royal pension. This financial support was crucial, specifically enabling him the necessary leisure to dedicate himself fully to his monumental scholarly endeavor: the Remarques sur la langue française, eventually published in 1647.

The "Remarques": Defining Best Usage and Purifying French Diction

The Remarques sur la langue française stands as Vaugelas's seminal contribution and a cornerstone of classical French. In this influential work, he meticulously articulated his central linguistic doctrine: that the proper standard for words and expressions should be determined by the "current usage of the best society." This concept was revolutionary for its time, emphasizing contemporary, cultivated speech rather than archaic forms or regional dialects. Vaugelas was uniquely positioned as an authoritative judge of this "best usage," largely due to his regular participation in the renowned Hôtel de Rambouillet. This illustrious literary salon served as a vibrant intellectual hub, shaping not only French manners and etiquette but also profoundly influencing the development of the language and literature of the era.

Vaugelas is widely credited, alongside the earlier poet and theoretician François de Malherbe, for meticulously "purifying" French diction. This process involved rigorously eliminating unnecessary ornamentation, obscure vocabulary, and regionalisms, thereby fostering clarity, precision, and elegance in written and spoken French. The impact of his book was immediate and far-reaching; it effectively "fixed" the prevailing linguistic norms, serving as a prescriptive guide for the classical writers of the 17th century, including celebrated playwrights and poets, who largely conformed their literary practice to its principles. The Remarques also laid foundational groundwork for the subsequent development of the Académie française's authoritative dictionary.

Controversies and Later Life

Despite the widespread acceptance of the Académie's doctrine, dissent was not absent. Critics challenged what they perceived as the prescriptive and sometimes restrictive nature of the new linguistic rules. Notable among these was Scipion Dupleix, who, in his 1651 work Liberté de la langue française dans sa pureté, passionately advocated for the retention of the richer and more expansive vocabulary and stylistic freedom characteristic of the 16th-century French. Similarly, François de La Mothe-Le-Vayer expressed a comparable viewpoint in his Lettres à Gabriel Naudé tombant les Remarques sur la langue française, directly critiquing Vaugelas's influential text. These debates underscore the dynamic evolution of the French language during this period.

Towards the final years of his life, Vaugelas's intellectual capabilities were further recognized through his appointment as a tutor to the sons of Thomas Francis of Savoy, Prince of Carignano, a prominent military commander and member of the House of Savoy. Claude Favre de Vaugelas passed away in Paris in February 1650, leaving behind an indelible mark on the French language.

Posthumous Works and Enduring Legacy

Although published posthumously in 1653, Vaugelas's translation of Quintus Curtius Rufus's historical work, La Vie d'Alexandre (The Life of Alexander), holds significant importance. This translation is not merely a literary endeavor but serves as a practical demonstration and application of the very linguistic rules and principles he meticulously outlined in his Remarques. It exemplifies his commitment to clarity, precision, and the "best usage" in literary practice, cementing his legacy as a foundational figure in the development of modern French.

Frequently Asked Questions about Claude Favre de Vaugelas

Who was Claude Favre de Vaugelas?
Claude Favre de Vaugelas (1585-1650) was a prominent Savoyard grammarian and man of letters in 17th-century France. He is best known for his foundational work in standardizing the French language, particularly through his influential book, the Remarques sur la langue française.
What was the Académie française, and what was Vaugelas's role in it?
The Académie française is the preeminent French council for matters pertaining to the French language. Founded by Cardinal Richelieu in 1634, its mission was to codify and perfect the language. Vaugelas was one of its original and most influential members, instrumental in shaping its linguistic doctrines and contributing significantly to the ideal of "best usage."
What is the significance of the Remarques sur la langue française?
Published in 1647, the Remarques sur la langue française by Vaugelas became the definitive prescriptive grammar of its time. It advocated for "current usage of the best society" as the standard for proper French, significantly influencing classical 17th-century writers and laying the groundwork for the Académie's future dictionary. It played a crucial role in establishing the clarity and precision characteristic of classical French.
How did the Hôtel de Rambouillet influence Vaugelas's work?
The Hôtel de Rambouillet was a leading literary salon in 17th-century Paris, frequented by aristocrats, intellectuals, and writers. Vaugelas's regular presence there gave him direct insight into the cultivated speech and linguistic practices of the elite, which he considered the "best society." This experience informed his principles on "best usage" as articulated in his Remarques.
Did everyone agree with Vaugelas's linguistic rules?
No, not everyone fully agreed with the Académie's prescriptive approach. While highly influential, figures like Scipion Dupleix and François de La Mothe-Le-Vayer argued for a "richer and freer" French language, advocating against what they perceived as the overly restrictive rules that limited the expressive potential of the language.