Pierre Corneille

Widely considered the creator of French tragedy, poet and dramatist Pierre Corneille grew up in Rouen, France. He is counted among the three great 17th-century French dramatists, along with Molière and Racine. His many works include Polyeucte (1643), Cinna (1641), Horace (1640), and Le Cid (1637), which is regarded as the most notable play in the history of French drama.

In 1647, Corneille moved to Paris, where he was admitted to the Académie Française. He continued to write during the civil war of the period known as the Fronde (1648–53), receiving mixed reviews. His late plays include Suréna (1674), Pulchérie (1672), Agésilas (1666), Othon (1664), and Sophonisbe (1663).

He died in his house in Paris on October 1, 1684 and was buried in the church of Saint-Roch.