2 Jean de La Fontaine Poems

Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) was a beloved French fabulist and poet, best known for his “Fables,” which remain classics of French literature. Born in Château-Thierry, he inherited an office as Master of Water and Forests, yet soon pursued writing. Though admired at the French court, he was never favored by Louis XIV, but found consistent support from patrons like Nicolas Fouquet and Madame de La Sablière. Elected to the Académie Française in 1684, La Fontaine penned works including “Contes et nouvelles en vers” and “Les Amours de Psyché et de Cupidon.” His insightful, humorous tales continue to shape literary tradition worldwide.

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The Cat Metamorphosed Into A Woman

‘The Cat Metamorphosed Into A Woman’ is a playful yet insightful fable that highlights how deeply-ingrained habits and nature can’t be changed, no matter how hard we try.

This is a great example of La Fontaine's style. Known for his fables, La Fontaine often combines wit, irony, and life lessons. This poem, with its humorous take on human nature, showcases his ability to blend fantasy with moral lessons, a hallmark of his work that remains both entertaining and thought-provoking.

A bachelor caressed his cat,

A darling, fair, and delicate;

So deep in love, he thought her mew

The sweetest voice he ever knew.

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The Gout and the Spider

‘The Gout and The Spider’ by Jean de La Fontaine is a witty tale about life’s miseries, humorously portrayed through personified ailments.

'The Gout and The Spider' is a great representation of Jean de La Fontaine's style. Known for his fables, La Fontaine often uses animals or other figures to reflect human behavior. This poem, like many others, blends humor with moral lessons, showing his skill at weaving creativity, satire, and life lessons into accessible, engaging verse.

When Nature angrily turn'd out

Those plagues, the spider and the gout, -

'See you,' said she, 'those huts so meanly built,

These palaces so grand and richly gilt?

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