Biography in Early Modern France, 1540-1630

Book excerpt: When the famous Royal Professor of Philosophy and Eloquence, Petrus Ramus (1515-1572), gave a lecture, one of his most promising pupils stood by, ready to tug on his coat if he made a mistake. That pupil was Ramus' future biographer Nicolas de Nancel (1539-1610), who recounted this anecdote in his Vita Rami (1599). Nancel's insertion of himself into his portrayal of Ramus' life is typical of early modern biographies of men of letters. The first study of biography in 16th-century France, this groundbreaking book offers valuable insights into biography's role as a form of social and cultural negotiation geared to advance the biographer's career.