Jean Racine was a French dramatist, one of the three great playwrights of 17th-century France, along with Molière and Corneille. He was primarily a tragedian, producing such masterpieces as Phèdre, Andromaque, and Athalie. Racine's poetic elegance and psychological insight into human passion distinguished his work, making him a central figure in French classical tragedy. His plays remain a cornerstone of the Western theatrical canon and are still widely performed today.