"Candide" is a philosophic novel by Voltaire published in 1759 in Geneva. Just a month after it was published the city council forbids it but soon the novel appeared in Paris and some other European cities. The book was a great success and got popular amongst readers but it was attacked on several occasions. During […]
Voltaire
Voltaire is a French philosopher and author who was one of the most important people during Enlightenment. He was born in 1694 in Paris. His real name is Francois Marie Arouetle Jeune and he started using this shorten name when his tragedy ‘’Aedip’’ became a great success.
He studied law and in his twenties he stood up for the freedom of speech and he roamed the aristocratic salons of Paris where he composed epigrams that got him into jail in 1717.
After he confronted a knight named Rohan his friendship with the castle ends so he leaves France in 1726 and goes to England where he stays for three years. England was a life turning event for him. He associated with many important people and his experiences were describedin the book ‘’ Letters concerning the English nation’’. The book came out in 1733 in England and a year later in France.
The Parisian parliament declared his work unacceptable and unworthy of the religion and the government so Voltaire became a hated author whose works weren’t welcomed in France.
He published a few Shakespeare inspired tragedies and one of the most popular was Zaire. After that he left Paris and went to Cirey where his work grew because of his housekeeper that was good with science, math, foreign and classical languages and she made a great influence on him. 1738 he published a work where he elaborated about Newton’s thoughts.
During the 40’s he became famous and came back to Paris where he became the writer and historian of the king Luj XV. He wrote a lot and it was hard for him not to write satire and he published a few about the king’s mistress marquees de Pompadour.
After that he was banished again and he went to the castle of Friedrich II. and he became his friend and advisor.
After three years of that friendship he went to Geneva and settled down in Ferney, his estate between France and Switzerland.
50’s and 60’s were his strongest years. Some of his famous works are: ‘’Candide’’, ‘’The age of Louis XV’’, ‘’Zadig’’, ‘’Mariamne’’…
In 1778 he went back to Paris where he died on the 30th May.
