Voltaire's Prayer Posters

 

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French writer, one of the greatest 18th-cent. European authors. Voltaire studied law but abandoned it to become a writer. He made his name with classical tragedies and continued to write for the theater all his life. He was twice sent to the Bastille for his remarks and in 1726 was exiled to England, where his philosophical interests deepened; he returned to France in 1728 or 1729. His epic poem La Henriade (1728) was well received, but his lampoons of the Regency and his liberal religious opinions caused offense. Lettres philosophiques (1734), in which he spoke out against established religious and political systems, caused an uproar. He fled Paris and settled at Cirey in Champagne with Mme du Châtelet, who became his patroness and mistress, and there turned to scientific research and the systematic study of religions and culture. After her death he spent periods in Berlin and Geneva; in 1754 he settled in Switzerland. In addition to his many works on philosophical and moral problems, he wrote contes ("tales") incl. Zadig (1747), Micromégas (1752), and his best-known work, Candide (1759), a satire on philosophical optimism. He kept up an immense correspondence and took an interest in any cases of injustice, especially those resulting from religious prejudice, that came to his notice. He is remembered as a crusader against tyranny and bigotry and noted for his wit, satire, and critical capacity.

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French writer, one of the greatest 18th-cent. European authors. Voltaire studied law but abandoned it to become a writer. He made his name with classical tragedies and continued to write for the theater all his life. He was twice sent to the Bastille for his remarks and in 1726 was exiled to England, where his philosophical interests deepened; he returned to France in 1728 or 1729. His epic poem La Henriade (1728) was well received, but his lampoons of the Regency and his liberal religious opinions caused offense. Lettres philosophiques (1734), in which he spoke out against established religious and political systems, caused an uproar. He fled Paris and settled at Cirey in Champagne with Mme du Châtelet, who became his patroness and mistress, and there turned to scientific research and the systematic study of religions and culture. After her death he spent periods in Berlin and Geneva; in 1754 he settled in Switzerland. In addition to his many works on philosophical and moral problems, he wrote contes ("tales") incl. Zadig (1747), Micromégas (1752), and his best-known work, Candide (1759), a satire on philosophical optimism. He kept up an immense correspondence and took an interest in any cases of injustice, especially those resulting from religious prejudice, that came to his notice. He is remembered as a crusader against tyranny and bigotry and noted for his wit, satire, and critical capacity.

created by CopperScaleDragon (10/11/2002 4:38 PM)

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