Lettre à l’auteur des Hérésies imaginaires et des deux visionnaires

The work Lettre à l'auteur des Hérésies imaginaires et des deux visionnaires was written by Jean Racine in 1666. This open letter was a response to Pierre Nicole, a former teacher of Racine's, who had published a public letter criticizing playwrights and novelists. Racine believed Nicole's letter was indirectly aimed at him, accusing writers of being "public poisoners".1

Racine is renowned as a master of French classical tragedy, particularly for his skillful use of the alexandrine verse. His plays often explore themes of human nature controlled by passions and the limitations imposed by society. While Racine's upbringing in Jansenism influenced his fatalistic view, his work also draws from Greek tragedy and the Bible. His career spanned from 1664 to 1691, producing masterpieces such as Andromaque, Britannicus, Bérénice, and Phèdre.2341