Taine, Hippolyte (1828-1893)

Taine, Hippolyte (1828-1893)

French philosopher and literary critic, influenced in part by Hegel, Comte, and the English Utilitarians. He is known for his emphasis on the role of scientific determinism in literature and history, especially as exemplified in hereditary and environmental influences, among the latter of which even climate and atmosphere were included. His methods are considered to be associated with those of Naturalism.

His works include the following: La Philosophie de l'Art ( 1865-1869); Histoire de la Littérature Anglaise ( 1864 and later); Nouveaux Essais ( 1865); Origines de la France contemporaine ( 1875-1894). Taine's two most famous doctrines are the doctrine of the faculté maîtresse, or dominant trait, from which the critic hoped to be able to deduce an author's career "geometrically"; and the theory of race, milieu, et moment, the three forces respectively signifying biological inheritance, environment, and the configuration of tradition, precedent, and dominant literary trend at the time of an author's appearance.