The Cultural and Ideological Background of Classicism

Classicalism was a political compromise between the new bourgeoisie and the feudal aristocracy, and in the 16th century the conflict between the two classes led to the 36-year War of Religion, which resulted in Henri IV becoming king. In order to stabilize the situation, Henri IV converted to Catholicism, which was made the state religion by the Edict of Nantes in 1598. Meanwhile, the newly established Bourbon dynasty pursued a mercantilist policy in the first half of the 17th century, which promoted industrial and commercial development. The bourgeoisie, which had gained strength, supported the royal power, which strengthened the central government and suppressed the secession and secession of the nobility. Louis XIV continued this policy by appointing the plebeians Colbert and Letelier to manage the finances in order to keep the nobles in line, but he also balanced his policy by placing the great nobles in the highest military and clerical posts. Monarchy emerged as the center of civilization and the basis for social unity. Social stability and unity was the desire and trend of the people, for the people were tired of war. Correspondingly, in the 1730s, the popular Baroque literature rapidly transitioned to classical literature. The Bourbons established a system of prizes, stipends, and censorship in order to tighten their control over the literary arts, and the French Baccalaureate, established in 1634-35, aimed at setting up uniform norms in language and literature adapted to the needs of a monarchical dictatorship. When Gonaye's play Cid violated the Trinity, the official theorist Shapland wrote to intervene. Classicalism arose under such conditions of political climate and literary policy.