The New International Encyclopædia/Rotrou, Jean de

ROTROU, rṓ'trōō', Jean de (1609-50). A French dramatist, born in Dreux. At nineteen he was successful on the stage with L'hypocondriaque. About 1635 Richelieu made him one of the famous five employed to write tragedies from his plots. Rotrou's earlier plays were mostly based on Spanish dramas, especially on those of Lope de Vega; and at a later period he was more clearly under classical influence. Corneille also influenced him considerably. The more important of his plays are: La bague d'oubli (1635); Cléagénor et Doristée (1635); Venceslas (1648), a tragedy which long held the stage; and Cosroès (1648), probably his best tragedy. A complete edition was brought out by Viollet-le-Duc (Paris, 1820 et seq.). Consult: Jarry, Essai (Paris, 1868); Chardon, La vie de Rotrou (ib., 1884).