The Rise of French Classicism in the 17th Century

This book explores the rich intellectual, cultural, and artistic history of France from the rise of French Classicism in the 17th century to the intellectual revolution of the Enlightenment in the 18th century. Beginning with the emergence of classical ideals during the reign of Louis XIV, the book delves into the development of art, literature, theatre, and architecture, shaped by the monarch's absolute power and patronage of the arts. Through figures like Corneille, Racine, Molière, Descartes, and Lully, the book examines how French thinkers and artists embodied neoclassical values of order, symmetry, and moral instruction, while simultaneously questioning social norms and political authority. The transition from the classical to the Enlightenment period is explored through the philosophical shifts led by thinkers like Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Kant, whose ideas on reason, individual rights, and social justice laid the groundwork for modern political thought and democratic governance. This work illustrates how the cultural and intellectual currents of France during the 17th and 18th centuries shaped the course of Western civilization, influencing the arts, philosophy, politics, and society in ways that still resonate today.