Willem (or Guilliam) Ogier (1618–1689) was a Flemish schoolmaster, playwright and comedian.

Life

Guilliam Ogier was born in Antwerp in 1618 but brought up in Amsterdam. He returned to Antwerp after his father's death.G. Stuiveling
"Ogier, Guilliam"
in G. J. van Bork & P. J. Verkruijsse (eds.), ''De Nederlandse en Vlaamse auteurs van middeleeuwen tot heden met inbegrip van de Friese auteurs'' (Weesp, 1985), p. 422. He registered with the schoolmasters' guild in 1644, becoming dean of the guild during the 1650s. He wrote comedic moralities for performance by the chambers of rhetoric (civic poetry and drama societies) the

Violieren The Violieren (wallflower or gillyflower) was a chamber of rhetoric that dates back to the 15th century in Antwerp, when it was a social drama society with close links to the Guild of Saint Luke.A. A. Keersmaekers, ''Geschiedenis van de Antwerpse R ...

and the Olijftak. First performances were often on the Feast of St Luke (18 October), as the rhetoricians had a close association with the

Guild of Saint Luke The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city guild for painters and other artists in early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were named in honor of the Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of artists, who was ide ...

(the guild of painters, illuminators, printmakers and booksellers). When the Olyftack and Violieren merged in 1660 Ogier took a leading role as "Factor" of the reinstituted chamber. He died in Antwerp on 22 February 1689.

Plays

* ''Droncken Heyn'' (Drunken Harry), first performed by the Olyftack on 18 October 1639 * ''De hooveerdigheydt'' (Pride), first performed by the Violieren on 18 October 1644 * ''De gramschap'' (Anger), first performed by the Violieren on 18 October 1645 * ''De onkuysheydt'' (Unchastity), first performed by the Violieren on 18 October 1646 * ''Den haet en nydt'' (Hatred and envy), first performed by the Violieren on 18 October 1647 (text of the Amsterdam performance, 1671
available on Google Books
* ''De traegheydt'' (Sloth), first performed by the Olyftack on 18 October 1677 * ''De gierigheydt'' (Miserliness), first performed by the Olyftack on 18 February 1678 * ''Belachelijk misverstant ofte boere geck'' (Ludicrous misunderstanding or country bumpkin), first performed by the Olyftack on 18 October 1680

Publication

Ogier's seven moralities were collected for publication as ''De seven hooft-sonden'' (The seven deadly sins) in 1682, with ''Droncken Heyn'' reworked as ''De Gulsigheydt'' (Gluttony). A critical edition of his plays was edited by Willem van Eeghem and A.A. Keersmaekers and published in three volumes as ''Willem Ogier: De tooneelwerken'' (Antwerp and Amsterdam, 1921–1955).

References

Studies

* August Snieders, "Lezing: Willem Ogier en zijn tijd", ''Verslagen en mededelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie voor Taal- en Letterkunde'' (1888): 70–86. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ogier, Willem 17th-century writers Educators of the Spanish Netherlands Writers from Antwerp Flemish educators 1618 births 1689 deaths