BECQUE, HENRY FRANCOIS French dramatist, was born in Paris. He wrote the book of an opera Sardanapale, adapted from Byron, for the music of M. Victorin Joncieres in 1867, but his first important work, Michel Pauper, appeared in 187o. The importance of this sombre drama was first realized when it was revived at the Odeon in 1886. Les Cor beaux (1882) established Becque's position as an innovator, and in 1885 he produced his most successful play, La Parisienne. Becque produced little during the last years of his life, but his disciples carried on the tradition he had created. He died in May, 1899, and his collected works, Theatre Complet (3 vols.) appeared in that year.
See his Querelles litteraires (189o), and Souvenirs d'un auteur dramatique (1895), consisting chiefly of reprinted articles in which he does not spare his opronents.