Qui était l’abbé Prévost ?

Éditions Lelivrescolaire.fr2 minutes read

Louis Prévau faced numerous personal tragedies and career setbacks, transitioning from a religious pursuit to military enlistment before ultimately becoming a Benedictine monk and a prolific author, most notably of "Manon Lescaut." His life was marked by a tumultuous love affair and subsequent exile, but he returned to France, where he continued to create significant literary works until his death in 1763.

Insights

  • Louis Prévau's early life was marked by tragedy and instability, as he lost his mother and sister at a young age, attempted a religious career, and faced a series of setbacks including a failed military stint and desertion, ultimately leading him to join the Benedictines and embark on a literary path that began with a satirical critique of the Jesuits.
  • Throughout his tumultuous life, Prévau experienced a passionate yet troubled relationship with the courtesan Lenky Gap, which resulted in financial difficulties and a narrow escape from execution for forgery, before returning to France where he found stability as an omonier for the Prince of Conti and produced significant literary works, including the enduring classic "Manon Lescaut."

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Summary

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The Turbulent Life of Louis Prévau

  • Louis Prévau, who faced personal tragedies with the deaths of his mother and sister at age 14, initially pursued a religious career after being educated by the Jesuits but enlisted in the army at 15, experiencing a failed military career and multiple interruptions in his studies, including a desertion during the Spanish War in 1718. By 1721, he joined the Benedictines, possibly to evade legal troubles, and began his literary journey with a satirical work against the Jesuits, leading to the publication of his memoir novel "Memoirs and Adventures of a Man of Quality" in 1728, which he continued to expand until 1731.
  • Prévau's tumultuous life included a love affair with the courtesan Lenky Gap, leading to financial troubles that forced them to flee to England, where he narrowly escaped the death penalty for producing a false document. After six years in exile, he returned to France, obtained absolution, and served as an omonier for the Prince of Conti from 1736 until his death in 1763, during which he produced a significant body of work, including his renowned novel "Manon Lescaut," which remains one of the most republished works in French literature.
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