Characters, or the Manners of the Age, with The Characters of Theophrastus
Quick Summary
The Characters, or the Manners of the Age, with The Characters of Theophrastus is a 1688 work by Jean de La Bruyère. It is a collection of character sketches and observations on 17th-century French society.1
La Bruyère's work is appended to his translation of the ancient Greek writer Theophrastus, who also wrote character sketches. La Bruyère uses Theophrastus's method of defining qualities like flattery or arrogance and then illustrating them with examples from contemporary people.12
The book offers a critical look at the manners and social customs of his time, focusing on the vanity and pretensions of high-ranking members of society. La Bruyère's sharp satire and vivid prose made the work a masterpiece of French literature.13
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