Pierre Corneille was a French tragedian, widely regarded as one of the three great 17th-century French dramatists, alongside Molière and Racine. Born on 6 June 1606 in Rouen, France, Corneille was influential in the development of French classical tragedy.

As a young man, he gained the patronage of Cardinal Richelieu, who was a proponent of classical tragedy, but their relationship soured, especially after the release of Corneille's best-known play, Le Cid. This play, centered on a medieval Spanish warrior, was criticized by the newly formed Académie française for not adhering to the classical unities.

Corneille continued to write well-received tragedies for nearly forty years, contributing significantly to French literature and drama. He passed away on 1 October 1684 in Paris, France.