Alain René Le Sage

Biography

Alain René Le Sage was born on May 6, 1668, in Sarzeau, Brittany, to Claude Lesage, who held the combined positions of advocate, notary, and registrar of the royal court, and Jeanne Brenugat. Orphaned at age fourteen when both parents died, Le Sage was left in the care of his uncle, who unfortunately wasted both his education and fortune. Fortunately, Father Bochard of the Jesuit Order, principal of the college in Vannes, recognized the young man's natural talents and cultivated his taste for literature.

At age twenty-five, Le Sage moved to Paris in 1693 to pursue his philosophical and legal studies. Initially struggling financially, he began his literary career as a translator, working primarily with Spanish theater and romance. His acquaintance with Spanish literature, encouraged by his patron the abbé de Lyonne who taught him Spanish, profoundly influenced his own writing. Le Sage married Marie-Elisabeth Huyard in 1694 and chose family life over worldly success, eventually abandoning his legal career to dedicate himself entirely to literature.

Le Sage achieved his first major success at age thirty-nine with his farce 'Crispin rival de son maître' (1707) and his novel 'Le Diable boiteux' (The Devil upon Two Sticks). His theatrical masterpiece 'Turcaret' (1709) brilliantly satirized corrupt financiers but faced opposition before performance. His greatest work, the picaresque novel 'Gil Blas' (1715-1735), took twenty years to complete and established him as one of France's premier novelists. He spent his later career writing for the popular Théâtre de la Foire, creating over one hundred comedies-vaudevilles before his death in Boulogne on November 17, 1747.

Major Works & Series

Literary Significance & Legacy

Le Sage revolutionized French fiction by introducing the Spanish picaresque form to French literature, creating a new type of novel that depicted contemporary society through the eyes of a socially mobile protagonist. His 'Gil Blas' was groundbreaking in presenting a realistic portrayal of 18th-century French society, thinly disguised under Spanish settings, and influenced major writers including Voltaire, Fielding, and Smollett. The novel's episodic structure and social satire established patterns that would dominate European fiction for generations.

As a dramatist, Le Sage's satirical comedies, particularly 'Turcaret,' brilliantly exposed the corruption and moral failings of French society. His work for the popular Théâtre de la Foire demonstrated his versatility and helped legitimize popular entertainment forms. Le Sage's combination of Spanish literary models with French satirical genius created a unique voice that bridges the classical period and the Enlightenment, making him an essential figure in the development of modern European literature.

Best Starting Points

• Gil Blas (Volume 1)
  Begin with the opening volume of Le Sage's masterpiece to experience his wit and social observation
• Le Diable boiteux (The Devil upon Two Sticks)
  A shorter, accessible introduction to Le Sage's satirical style and Spanish-influenced storytelling
• Turcaret
  His theatrical masterpiece showcasing his talent for social satire and character comedy
• Crispin rival de son maître
  The successful farce that established his reputation and demonstrates his theatrical skill

Famous Characters

• Gil Blas de Santillane
  The resourceful and adaptable protagonist who rises from humble valet to gentleman through wit and observation of human nature
• Turcaret
  The corrupt financier from Le Sage's comedy, representing the moral bankruptcy of newly wealthy social climbers
• The Devil upon Two Sticks (Asmodeus)
  The limping devil who reveals the hidden secrets and vices of Parisian society
• Crispin
  The clever valet from Le Sage's successful farce, embodying the witty servant archetype
• Don Raphael
  The noble bandit leader in Gil Blas who represents honor among thieves
• The Archbishop of Granada
  Gil Blas's clerical master whose pride and vanity lead to comic downfall