The "Characters" of Jean de La Bruyère

"The 'Characters' of Jean de La Bruyère" by Jean de La Bruyère is a series of observations about people and society written in the 1600s. The book looks at the good and bad sides of people, showing different types of characters to point out what's wrong with how society works. La Bruyère acts as a thoughtful watcher, judging how people act. He starts with an introduction that shares his ideas about what's right and wrong, writings, and society, clarifying that his book isn't about making rules but about closely watching people's feelings and flaws. The characters he writes about are based on many different people, which lets him talk about human nature in general instead of just describing single people providing a closer view of what it was like to behave in society in the late 17th century, especially the shallow relationships and the effects of being too proud during the time of King Louis XIV's court.