Etienne Arago

Etienne Arago is a playwright and French politician, born with Perpignan the February 9th 1802 and died in Paris the March 7th 1892.

It was one of the four Arago brothers:

François Arago, (1786 - 1853), scientist and the politician, most famous of the four;
Jean Arago, (1788 - 1836), general with the service of the Mexico;
Jacques Arago (1790 - 1855), writer and explorer;
Etienne Arago, (1802 - 1892), writer and politician.

Biography

With the difference of his/her three other brothers, born with Estagel, Etienne was born with Perpignan. His/her parents, indeed, had just left the small village of Estagel, located not less from there, his/her father, Bonaventure Arago, having been appointed director of the Mint with Perpignan. Did Etienne regret small of this difference in birth in this phratry at the so many common points? Always is it that it took sometimes as pseudonym of author of theater '' of Estagel '', for example for the Plane and the Hunting horn .

He had a happy childhood, the small last surrounded of the affection as of his. He began his studies with the college of Perpignan, directed by an ecclesiastic, then, at 13 years, he entered to the abbey-school of Sorèze, held by Bénédictins. This famous establishment functioned since XVIIe, and it closed its doors only in 1991, after having seen passing in its walls many future generals, lawyers, journalists, senators, polytechnicians, etc Etienne made less than three school years in this institution. His/her father, indeed, named under the Consulate, was revoked during the Restauration, and its family did not have any more the means of supporting the school fees.

Thanks to the support of his/her older brother, François Arago, Etienne enters then as preparer of chemistry to the Polytechnic school, known by its republicanism and the activism of its students. It meets there in particular Auguste Count and Eugene de Cavaignac, near which it forms its tastes and republican political convictions, that it will preserve all its life. It is initiated with the Charbonnerie, and becomes about it militant so active that it must leave Polytechnique. It is the first time that one makes him pay his political commitment, and it will not be the last. It takes part in the escape from Joseph Mérilhou, locked up with the prison of Perpignan, and assists with the execution of the Four sergeants of the La Rochelle on September 21st, 1822, before joining the Spain, to support there the opponents with the forwarding of the duke of Angouleme.

Its literary occupations

Beside the policy, Etienne Arago had the one second passion: that to write. With Paris, it had met several writers, of which Honore de Balzac. One and the other raised the same question: to be made a name, or, more liberally, to be useful for the company, which way to choose, the literature or the policy? In 1822, they decided to write in collaboration, but their common work, the Heiress of Birague , in the Gothic vein of the moment, knew if little success which they did not renew the experiment. After a few years of gropings, Balzac found an answer to this interrogation: it chooses the literature definitively. Etienne Arago, it, will oscillate all his life between the two alternatives.

It turned one moment to the journalism, which could have constituted a synthesis of its two passions. With a friend, Maurice Alhoy, it founded the newspaper Le Figaro. But the business went badly, and they yielded it a few weeks later to another friend, Auguste Lepoitevin, known as Lepoitevin Saint-Alme or Lepoitevin de Lègreville, which made this weekly sheet one of the first newspapers of its time.

Arago made represent as of 1823 of the plays, generally light comedies, comedies or melodramas, generally written in collaboration, in particular with the two friends quoted previously or Varin, Desvergers, Théaulon, etc These works, for the majority, found success, and it is curious to note that this republican militant, credit and intransigent were also a man of spirit able to shine in these light theatrical kinds. This dualism existed a long time, since he wrote regularly for the theater until 1847 without never disavowing his political convictions.

In 1829, it obtained the direction of the Théâtre of the Light comedy. But this function does not enrich it, quite to the contrary. This theater knew poor seasons until July 1838 when it was destroyed by a fire. In 1839, the dissatisfied shareholders returned the director with a liability of 250.000 francs. Etienne Arago arrived with time (more than 30 years!) and of constant sacrifices to regulate all its creditors little by little, and with being fully rehabilitated of this bankruptcy.

Its political commitment

Beside his literary and theatrical occupations, Etienne Arago continued his political activities, sometimes in a spectacular way. In July 1830, it made close its Theater of the Light comedy and distribute on the barricades the weapons which were there in reserve. As an aide-de-camp of Lafayette, it took an active part in these days known as the Three Glorious, which led to the fall of the Bourbons. A little, compromised later in the republican insurrections of 1832 and 1834, it hid in the Vendée to withdraw from the police force after the defeat republicans of June 1834. The following year it helped with the escape from certain political prisoners of the Prison Holy-Pelagie.

In 1847, it made represent with the French Théâtre a comedy in worms, the Aristocracies , written only, where it presents with spirit its republican ideas. It will be the last; henceforth, it will throw all its forces in the political combats. In February 1848, it was found out of weapons on the barricades at the most exposed stations. February 24th, the day of the abdication of Louis-Philippe, it succeeds in taking the Post office building and settled in the place of the director. A provisional government was formed, in which his/her brother François Arago appeared in the sides of Lamartine and Ledru-Rollin. It was confirmed in its functions of managing director of the Stations. He resigned of it in December 1848 at the time of the election of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte with the presidency of the Republic. But it is under its short administration that the use of the postage stamps was decided and set up in the country.

Elected official in April 1848 with the constituent Assembly, just like his brother François and his nephew Emmanuel, it was opposed, then, very highly the policy of the Prince chair. In June 1849, at the sides of Ledru-Rollin, it was one of the heads of the mountain demonstration, and for this fact the High-Court of Versailles condemned it to the deportation and the seizure of its goods. It could take refuge in time in Belgium, where it was assigned with residence with Spa. They are only 10 years later, to the signature of the decree of amnesty of proscribed republican of 1859 qu' it returned finally to France.

Return of exile

It renonça one moment with the political struggles, devoting itself to the literary production: a voice in exile , the Stations in 1848 , etc It also wrote for the newspapers under the pseudonym of Jules Ferney.

The events of 1870 returned a role to him. With the members of Parliament, he was opposed to the Régence Impératrice Eugenie: the people of Paris acclaimed it and made its mayor of it, on proposal of Leon Gambetta, on September 4th, 1870, a few days before the terrible seat of the city by the German troops. It could conclude this difficult task in this situation of exception. But it was, for Paris, only one quite momentary mayor. Indeed, in November of the municipal elections were organized, but not being candidate for his own succession, because it estimated that a mayor not elected, simply chosen by acclamation, does not have an official recognition, it resigned on November 15th 1870.

Elected the Eastern Pyrenees, he also resigned, on February 8th 1871, because of important diplomatic missions in Italy.

At the end of its life, impassioned then by arts, Etienne was named by Jules Ferry preserving Musée of Luxembourg. It remained it until its death the March 6th 1892. It was 90 years old. It is buried with the Cimetière of Montparnasse (the 10th division).

Some theatrical works

Stanislas , or the Continuation of Michel and Christine , light comedy with Saint-Alme in 1823;
the Ring of Gygès , light comedy with Desvergers in 1824;
the Bridge of Kehl , or the False witnesses , melodrama in 3 acts with Cuvelier and Desvergers in 1824;
One day of embarrassment , light comedy with Saint-Alme in 1824;
Love and the war , light comedy with Varin and Charles Desnoyers in 1825;
the Companion in misfortune , or the Prisoners , comedy-light comedy in 1 act with Théaulon (Varieties the 1/19/1825)
They is tomorrow the thirteen or the Feeling and the almanac with Desvergers in 1826;
Bound or One night of absence , light comedy with Desvergers in 1826;
the Departure, stay and return , comedy-light comedy in 3 acts with Desvergers and Varin in 1827;
the Girl of the gatekeeper , drama in 3 acts with Anicet-Middle-class man in 1827;
the Florist , light comedy with of Villeneuve in 1827;
Gerard and Marie , light comedy with of Villeneuve in 1827;
the Lawyer , melodrama in 3 acts with Desvergers in 1827;
Chuck , melodrama in 3 acts with Benjamin Antier in 1827;
Poor Arondel , or the 3 talismans, light comedy-fairyhood in two acts with of Villeneuve in 1827 or 1828;
the Four Artists or Letters and the Portraits , 1827
the Plane and the hunting horn , or the Cousin and the neighbor , comedy with Anicet-Middle-class man and of Estagel (Etienne Arago) in 1828;
the Patient by circumstance , light comedy with Varin and Desvergers in 1829;
Paul Morin , drama in 3 acts with Marie Aycard in 1829;
the Cousin Frederic , or the Correspondence , comedy-light comedy with Rougemont and Alexandre Basset in 1829;
Cagotisme and freedom or the Two Six-month periods , light comedy with Duvert and Ancelot in 1830;
Arwed or the Reprisals , with Varin and Desvergers in 1830;
Twenty-seven , July 28th and 29th , three days episodical table with Duvert in 1830;
Mrs Dubarry , light comedy in 3 acts with Ancelot in 1831;
made up Railroads , light comedy-review with mechanics, with the verses made with the vapor, Maurice Alhoy in 1832 or 1833;
Life of Molière , light comedy in 3 acts with Dupeuty in 1832;
the Price of madness , light comedy with his/her brother Jacques Arago in 1833 or 1834;
Misfortunes of a pretty boy , light comedy with Varin and Desvergers in 1834;
Theophilus , or My vocation , light comedy with Varin and Desvergers in 1834;
Pages of Bassompierre , with Varin and Desvergers in 1835;
Paris in the comet , review-light comedy with Rougemont and Dupeuty in 1835;
To arrive by the way , light comedy with Lubize in 1836;
the Demon of the night , light comedy in 2 acts with Bayard in 1836;
Casanova at the height St Andre , light comedy with Varin and Desvergers in 1836; from which Albert Lortzing drew a comic opera in 3 acts: Casanova , created on December 31st, 1841 with Leipzig;
the Husband at the city and the woman in the countryside , light comedy with Varin and Desvergers in 1837;
the Secrecy of my uncle , light comedy with Varin and Desvergers in 1837;
the Cabaret of Lustucru , light comedy with Jaime in 1838;
avenged Husbands , light comedy with Decomberousse and Roche in 1839;
Memories of the devil , light comedy in 3 acts with Paul Vermond in 1842;
Brelan of troupiers , with Dumanoir in 1843;
an Invasion of grisettes , with Charles Varin in 1844;
the Aristocracies , comedy in five acts and worms, played in 1847 in the Th3e4atre Fran1cais (Mrs. Judith in the role of Laurence Verdier).

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