Brunetière, Ferdinand

views updated

Ferdinand Brunetière (fĕrdēnäN´ brünətyĕr´), 1849–1906, French literary critic. An opponent of naturalism, he believed that literature should reflect a moral order. His vast learning is evident in the masterly Manuel de l'histoire de la littérature française (1897) and in the history of French literature from 1515, most of which was published (1904–17) posthumously from his notes.