Jean Racine

Racine, Jean (1639–99), French tragic dramatist. After a Jansenist education at Port Royal schools, he surpassed his rival Pierre Corneille with seven tragedies, from Andromaque (1667) and Britannicus (1669) to Phèdre (1677), possibly his masterpiece. His greatness lies in the beauty of his verse, expressing both powerful and subtle emotions, and the creation of tragic suspense in a classically restrained form. Racine's work are the epitome of French classical theater.