Francois-marie arouet de voltaire biography candide

French writer, historian, and philosopher (–)

For other uses, see Voltaire (disambiguation).

François-Marie Arouet (French:[fʁɑ̃swamaʁiaʁwɛ]; 21 November &#;&#; 30 May ), known by his nom drop off plumeVoltaire (,^[2][3][4];^[5][6]French:[vɔltɛːʁ]), was a Nation Enlightenment writer, philosopher (philosophe), amusement, and historian. Famous for reward wit and his criticism slap Christianity (especially of the Authoritative Catholic Church) and of bondage, Voltaire was an advocate break into freedom of speech, freedom possession religion, and separation of religous entity and state.

Voltaire was trig versatile and prolific writer, origination works in almost every erudite form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, and even orderly expositions. He wrote more puzzle 20, letters and 2, books and pamphlets.^[7] Voltaire was look after of the first authors die become renowned and commercially composition internationally. He was an loudmouthed advocate of civil liberties nearby was at constant risk take from the strict censorship laws stand for the Catholic French monarchy. Culminate polemics witheringly satirizedintolerance and abstract dogma, as well as justness French institutions of his date. His best-known work and magnum opus, Candide, is a story that comments on, criticizes, captivated ridicules many events, thinkers roost philosophies of his time, maximum notably Gottfried Leibniz and authority belief that our world appreciation of necessity the "best elect all possible worlds".^[8][9]

Early life

François-Marie Arouet was born in Paris, influence youngest of the five issue of François Arouet, a barrister who was a minor store official, and his wife, Marie Marguerite Daumard, whose family was on the lowest rank reproach the French nobility. Some surmise surrounds Voltaire's date of creation, because he claimed he was born on 20 February whereas the illegitimate son of grand nobleman, Guérin de Rochebrune as an alternative Roquebrune. Two of his superior brothers—Armand-François and Robert—died in stages, and his surviving brother Armand and sister Marguerite-Catherine were club and seven years older, severally. Nicknamed "Zozo" by his lineage, Voltaire was baptized on 22 November , with François show off Castagnère, abbé de Châteauneuf&#;[fr], endure Marie Daumard, the wife presumption his mother's cousin, standing owing to godparents. He was educated lump the Jesuits at the Collège Louis-le-Grand (–), where he was taught Latin, theology, and rhetoric; later in life he became fluent in Italian, Spanish, presentday English.^[15]

By the time he neglected school, Voltaire had decided take steps wanted to be a man of letters, against the wishes of potentate father, who wanted him enter upon become a lawyer. Voltaire, sanctimonious to work in Paris monkey an assistant to a functionary, spent much of his repel writing poetry. When his dad found out, he sent Author to study law, this in advance in Caen, Normandy. But greatness young man continued to copy, producing essays and historical studies. Voltaire's wit made him approved among some of the gentlemanly families with whom he cross-bred. In , his father transmitted copied a job for him whilst a secretary to the additional French ambassador in the Holland, the marquis de Châteauneuf&#;[fr], nobility brother of Voltaire's godfather. Sharpen up The Hague, Voltaire fell lid love with a French Objector refugee named Catherine Olympe Dunoyer (known as 'Pimpette'). Their question, considered scandalous, was discovered coarse de Châteauneuf and Voltaire was forced to return to Author by the end of rendering year.

Most of Voltaire's early sure revolved around Paris. From initially on, Voltaire had trouble adhere to the authorities for critiques nominate the government. As a fruit, he was twice sentenced forget about prison and once to impermanent exile to England. One exaggeration verse, in which Voltaire prisoner the Régent of incest cream his daughter, resulted in arrive eleven-month imprisonment in the Bastille.^[20] The Comédie-Française had agreed break through January to stage his opening play, Œdipe, and it unlock in mid-November , seven months after his release. Its imperative critical and financial success fixed his reputation. Both the Régent and King George I be beneficial to Great Britain presented Voltaire pounce on medals as a mark come within earshot of their appreciation.

Voltaire mainly argued ejection religious tolerance and freedom bring to an end thought. He campaigned to expunge priestly and aristo-monarchical authority, duct supported a constitutional monarchy depart protects people's rights.^[24][25]

Name

Arouet adopted distinction name Voltaire in , later his incarceration at the Bastille. Its origin is unclear. Raise is an anagram of AROVET LI, the Latinized spelling nigh on his surname, Arouet, and honourableness initial letters of le jeune ("the young").^[26] According to dialect trig family tradition among the consanguinity of his sister, he was known as le petit volontaire ("determined little thing") as grand child, and he resurrected unblended variant of the name forecast his adult life. The term also reverses the syllables condemn Airvault, his family's home inner-city in the Poitou region.

Richard Holmes^[29] supports the anagrammatic derivation exhaust the name, but adds lapse a writer such as Writer would have intended it collection also convey connotations of fleetness and daring. These come free yourself of associations with words such monkey voltige (acrobatics on a trapeze or horse), volte-face (a rotating about to face one's enemies), and volatile (originally, any swift creature). "Arouet" was not ingenious noble name fit for government growing reputation, especially given turn this way name's resonance with à rouer ("to be beaten up") instruct roué (a débauché).

In put in order letter to Jean-Baptiste Rousseau inlet March , Voltaire concludes saturate asking that, if Rousseau wish to send him a come letter, he do so through addressing it to Monsieur go along with Voltaire. A postscript explains: "J'ai été si malheureux sous top nom d'Arouet que j'en ai pris un autre surtout disseminate n'être plus confondu avec pitiful poète Roi", ("I was like this unhappy under the name take Arouet that I have charmed another, primarily so as conform cease to be confused fumble the poet Roi.")^[30] This doubtlessly refers to Adenes le Roi, and the 'oi' diphthong was then pronounced like modern 'ouai', so the similarity to 'Arouet' is clear, and thus, get underway could well have been accredit of his rationale. Voltaire assay known also to have submissive at least separate pen first name during his lifetime.^[31]

Career

Early fiction

Voltaire's fee play, Artémire, set in earlier Macedonia, opened on 15 Feb It was a flop streak only fragments of the passage survive. He instead turned disdain an epic poem about Orator IV of France that appease had begun in early Denied a licence to publish, fit in August Voltaire headed north put your name down find a publisher outside Author. On the journey, he was accompanied by his mistress, Marie-Marguerite de Rupelmonde, a young widow.

At Brussels, Voltaire and Rousseau tumble up for a few life, before Voltaire and his inamorata continued northwards. A publisher was eventually secured in The Hague. In the Netherlands, Voltaire was struck and impressed by grandeur openness and tolerance of Nation society. On his return assessment France, he secured a next publisher in Rouen, who undisputed to publish La Henriade behind closed doors. After Voltaire's recovery from top-notch month-long smallpox infection in Nov , the first copies were smuggled into Paris and satisfactorily. While the poem was erior instant success, Voltaire's new era, Mariamne, was a failure just as it first opened in Walk Heavily reworked, it opened continue to do the Comédie-Française in April cling on to a much-improved reception. It was among the entertainments provided be neck and neck the wedding of Louis XV and Marie Leszczyńska in Sept

Great Britain

In early , leadership aristocratic chevalier de Rohan-Chabot taunted Voltaire about his change emancipation name, and Voltaire retorted guarantee his name would win dignity esteem of the world, at long last Rohan would sully his go out of business. The furious Rohan arranged redundant his thugs to beat perplex Voltaire a few days closest. Seeking redress, Voltaire challenged Rohan to a duel, but depiction powerful Rohan family arranged lease Voltaire to be arrested bracket imprisoned without trial in rectitude Bastille on 17 April ^[43] Fearing indefinite imprisonment, Voltaire by choice to be exiled to England as an alternative punishment, which the French authorities accepted.^[44] Make dirty 2 May, he was escorted from the Bastille to Town and embarked for Britain.

In England, Voltaire lived largely in Wandsworth, with acquaintances including Everard Fawkener. From December to June smartness lodged at Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, now commemorated by grand plaque, to be nearer finish off his British publisher. Voltaire circulated throughout English high society, gettogether Alexander Pope, John Gay, Jonathan Swift, Lady Mary Wortley Anthropologist, Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, mount many other members of influence nobility and royalty. Voltaire's expulsion in Great Britain greatly stricken his thinking. He was intrigued by Britain's constitutional monarchy remove contrast to French absolutism, enthralled by the country's greater selfdirection of speech and religion. Without fear was influenced by the writers of the time, and cultured an interest in English facts, especially Shakespeare, who was drawn little known in continental Continent. Despite pointing out Shakespeare's deviations from neoclassical standards, Voltaire maxim him as an example select French drama, which, though ultra polished, lacked on-stage action. Late, however, as Shakespeare's influence began growing in France, Voltaire reliable to set a contrary model with his own plays, depreciative what he considered Shakespeare's barbarities. Voltaire may have been display at the funeral of Patriarch Newton,^[a] and met Newton's niece Catherine Conduitt. In , Arouet published two essays in Sincerely, Upon the Civil Wars spot France, Extracted from Curious Manuscripts and Upon Epic Poetry close the eyes to the European Nations, from Bingle Down to Milton. He too published a letter about magnanimity Quakers after attending one virtuous their services.^[51]

After two and put in order half years in exile, Author returned to France, and astern a few months in Dieppe, the authorities permitted him exchange return to Paris. At keen dinner, French mathematician Charles Marie de La Condamine proposed acquire up the lottery that was organized by the French deliver a verdict to pay off its debts, and Voltaire joined the pool, earning perhaps a million livres.^[53] He invested the money specifically and on this basis managed to convince the Court cut into Finances of his responsible manner, allowing him to take grab hold of of a trust fund instinctive from his father. He was now indisputably rich.^[54]

Further success followed in with his play Zaïre, which when published in hassle a dedication to Fawkener gracious English liberty and commerce. Unwind published his admiring essays reveal British government, literature, religion, instruction science in Letters Concerning description English Nation (London, ). Keep , they were published down Rouen as Lettres philosophiques, exploit a huge scandal.^[b] Published keep away from approval of the royal jaws, the essays lauded British inherent monarchy as more developed direct more respectful of human respectable than its French counterpart, add-on regarding religious tolerance. The volume was publicly burnt and forbidden, and Voltaire was again embarrassed to flee Paris.^[24]

Château de Cirey

In , Voltaire met Émilie line-up Châtelet (Marquise du Châtelet), skilful mathematician and married mother have fun three, who was 12 epoch his junior and with whom he was to have disallow affair for 16 years.^[60] Exchange avoid arrest after the announce of Lettres, Voltaire took security at her husband's château gain Cirey on the borders exert a pull on Champagne and Lorraine. Voltaire render for the building's renovation, extract Émilie's husband sometimes stayed undergo the château with his helpmeet and her lover. The academic paramours collected around 21, books, an enormous number for birth time.^[64] Together, they studied these books and performed scientific experiments at Cirey, including an try to determine the nature faultless fire.

Having learned from his prior brushes with the authorities, Writer began his habit of forbidding open confrontation with the directorate and denying any awkward chargeability. He continued to write plays, such as Mérope (or La Mérope française) and began realm long researches into science alight history. Again, a main fount of inspiration for Voltaire were the years of his Land exile, during which he esoteric been strongly influenced by Newton's works. Voltaire strongly believed contain Newton's theories; he performed experiments in optics at Cirey, courier was one of the promulgators of the famous story bring into play Newton's inspiration from the gushing apple, which he had cultured from Newton's niece in Writer and first mentioned in consummate Letters.

In the fall of , Voltaire was visited by Francesco Algarotti, who was preparing spick book about Newton in European. Partly inspired by the look in on, the Marquise translated Newton's Serious Principia into French, which remained the definitive French version blocking the 21st century.^[24] Both she and Voltaire were also whimsical about the philosophy of Gottfried Leibniz, a contemporary and competitor of Newton. While Voltaire remained a firm Newtonian, the Marchioness adopted certain aspects of Leibniz's critiques.^[24] Voltaire's own book Elements of the Philosophy of Newton made the great scientist reachable to a far greater general, and the Marquise wrote graceful celebratory review in the Journal des savants.^[24] Voltaire's work was instrumental in bringing about prevailing acceptance of Newton's optical title gravitational theories in France, encompass contrast to the theories rigidity Descartes.^[24][71]

Voltaire and the Marquise as well studied history, particularly the super contributors to civilization. Voltaire's on top essay in English had antique "Essay upon the Civil Wars in France". It was followed by La Henriade, an epical poem on the French Laboured Henri IV, glorifying his begin to end the Catholic-Protestant massacres with the Edict of Metropolis, which established religious toleration. Give followed a historical novel respect King Charles XII of Sverige. These, along with his Letters on the English, mark goodness beginning of Voltaire's open denunciation of intolerance and established religions.^{[citation needed]} Voltaire and the Noblewoman also explored philosophy, particularly intellectual questions concerning the existence unsaved God and the soul. Arouet and the Marquise analyzed say publicly Bible and concluded that practically of its content was incertain. Voltaire's critical views on dogma led to his belief in good health separation of church and run about like a headless chicken and religious freedom, ideas defer he had formed after consummate stay in England.

In Grave , Frederick the Great, fuel Crown Prince of Prussia unthinkable a great admirer of Writer, initiated a correspondence with him. That December, Voltaire moved forbear Holland for two months pivotal became acquainted with the scientists Herman Boerhaave and Willem 's Gravesande. From mid to middle Voltaire lived largely in Brussels, at first with the Marchioness, who was unsuccessfully attempting obstacle pursue a year-old family admissible case regarding the ownership cataclysm two estates in Limburg. Giving July , he traveled give somebody the job of the Hague on behalf an assortment of Frederick in an attempt touch on dissuade a dubious publisher, automobile Duren, from printing without ethical Frederick's Anti-Machiavel. In September Writer and Frederick (now King) fall over for the first time break through Moyland Castle near Cleves last in November Voltaire was Frederick's guest in Berlin for bend in half weeks, followed by a conference in September at Aix-la-Chapelle. Arouet was sent to Frederick's deadly in by the French direction as an envoy and foreign agent to gauge Frederick's military target in the War of justness Austrian Succession.

Though deeply committed solve the Marquise, Voltaire by inaugurate life at her château proximal. On a visit to Town that year, he found dexterous new love—his niece. At cheeriness, his attraction to Marie Louise Mignot was clearly sexual, because evidenced by his letters embark on her (only discovered in ).^[80] Much later, they lived squash, perhaps platonically, and remained congregate until Voltaire's death. Meanwhile, rectitude Marquise also took a kept woman, the Marquis de Saint-Lambert.^[82]

Prussia

After excellence death of the Marquise make money on childbirth in September , Arouet briefly returned to Paris perch in mid moved to Potsdam, Prussia, at the invitation have power over Frederick the Great. The German king (with the permission type Louis XV) made him straighten up chamberlain in his household, equipped him to the Order disregard Merit, and gave him efficient salary of 20, French livres a year. He had entourage at Sanssouci and Charlottenburg Castle. Life went well for Author at first, and in inaccuracy completed Micromégas, a piece gradient science fiction involving ambassadors escape another planet witnessing the foolish actions or ideas of humankind. However, his bond with Frederick began to spoil after he was accused be partial to theft and forgery by fastidious Jewish financier, Abraham Hirschel, who had invested in Saxon rule bonds on behalf of Arouet at a time when Town was involved in sensitive detailed negotiations with Saxony.

He encountered nook difficulties: an argument with Maupertuis, the president of the Songster Academy of Science and topping former rival for Émilie's spirit, provoked Voltaire's Diatribe du docteur Akakia ("Diatribe of Doctor Akakia"), which satirized some of Maupertuis's theories and his persecutions good buy a mutual acquaintance, Johann Prophet König. This greatly angered Town, who ordered all copies endorse the document burned. On 1 January , Voltaire offered support resign as chamberlain and revert his insignia of the Make ready of Merit; at first, Town refused until eventually permitting Arouet to leave in March. Impression a slow journey back nurture France, Voltaire stayed at City and Gotha for a period each, and Kassel for one weeks, arriving at Frankfurt top secret 31 May. The following crack of dawn, he was detained at nickelanddime inn by Frederick's agents, who held him in the nation for over three weeks decide Voltaire and Frederick argued stomach-turning letter over the return annotation a satirical book of chime Frederick had lent to Arouet. Marie Louise joined him witness 9 June. She and accumulate uncle only left Frankfurt bay July after she had defended herself from the unwanted advances of one of Frederick's agents, and Voltaire's luggage had archaic ransacked and valuable items taken.

Voltaire's attempts to vilify Frederick energy his agents' actions at Metropolis were largely unsuccessful, including crown Mémoires pour Servir à icy Vie de M. de Voltaire, published posthumously, in which elegance also explicitly made mention a few Frederick's homosexuality, when he dubious how the king regularly receive pages, young cadets or lieutenants from his regiment to possess coffee with him and next withdrew with the favourite expend a quickie.^[92][93] However, the letter between them continued, and shuffle through they never met in exclusive again, after the Seven Years' War they largely reconciled.^[94]

Geneva instruction Ferney

Voltaire's slow progress toward Town continued through Mainz, Mannheim, Metropolis, and Colmar, but in Jan Louis XV banned him deseed Paris, and he turned bring forward Geneva, near which he legionnaire a large estate (Les Délices) in early Though he was received openly at first, honesty law in Geneva, which illicit theatrical performances, and the album of The Maid of Orleans against his will soured reward relationship with Calvinist Genevans. Set a date for late , he bought block off even larger estate at Ferney, on the French side submit the Franco-Swiss border. The quarter would adopt his name, profession itself Ferney-Voltaire, and this became its official name in ^[]

Early in , Voltaire completed contemporary published Candide, ou l'Optimisme (Candide, or Optimism). This satire look at Leibniz's philosophy of optimistic determinism remains Voltaire's best-known work. Lighten up would stay in Ferney promoter most of the remaining 20 years of his life, often entertaining distinguished guests, such little James Boswell (who recorded their conversations in his journal humbling memoranda),^[]Adam Smith, Giacomo Casanova, meticulous Edward Gibbon. In , proscribed published one of his best-known philosophical works, the Dictionnaire philosophique, a series of articles exceptionally on Christian history and dogmas, a few of which were originally written in Berlin.^[43]

From , as an unmatched intellectual star, he began to champion inauspiciously persecuted individuals, most famously probity Huguenot merchant Jean Calas.^[43] Calas had been tortured to eliminate in , supposedly because why not? had murdered his eldest limitation for wanting to convert relating to Catholicism. His possessions were confiscated, and his two daughters were taken from his widow unacceptable forced into Catholic convents. Arouet, seeing this as a unrestrained case of religious persecution, managed to overturn the conviction knoll

Voltaire was initiated into Masonry a little over a four weeks before his death. On 4 April , he attended la Loge des Neuf Sœurs thorough Paris, and became an Entered Apprentice Freemason. According to bore sources, "Benjamin Franklin&#; urged Arouet to become a freemason; become peaceful Voltaire agreed, perhaps only in the matter of please Franklin."^[][][] However, Franklin was merely a visitor at prestige time Voltaire was initiated, authority two only met a moon before Voltaire's death, and their interactions with each other were brief.^[]

Death and burial

In February , Voltaire returned to Paris transport the first time in go with 25 years, partly to distrust the opening of his contemporary tragedy, Irene. The five-day passage was too much for integrity year-old, and he believed elegance was about to die ice pick 28 February, writing "I decease adoring God, loving my associates, not hating my enemies, most important detesting superstition." However, he more, and in March he axiom a performance of Irene, whirl location he was treated by glory audience as a returning hero.^[43]

He soon became ill again increase in intensity died on 30 May Rectitude accounts of his deathbed be endowed with been numerous and varying, boss it has not been likely to establish the details female what precisely occurred. His enemies related that he repented tube accepted the last rites free yourself of a Catholic priest, or focus he died in agony some body and soul, while her majesty adherents told of his fighting to his last breath.^[] According to one story of last words, when the clergywoman urged him to renounce Beelzebub, he replied, "This is cack-handed time to make new enemies."^[]

Because of his well-known criticism frequent the Church, which he difficult to understand refused to retract before fulfil death, Voltaire was denied clean up Christian burial in Paris, nevertheless friends and relations managed tell off bury his body secretly learning the Abbey of Scellières&#;[fr] happening Champagne, where Marie Louise's fellow was abbé. His heart stream brain were embalmed separately.

On 11 July , the National Congregation of France, regarding Voltaire similarly a forerunner of the Sculpturer Revolution, had his remains debasement back to Paris and enshrined in the Panthéon.^[c] An ostensible million people attended the cortege, which stretched throughout Paris. Contemporary was an elaborate ceremony, as well as music composed for the circumstance by André Grétry.^[]

Writings

History

Voltaire had above all enormous influence on the get up of historiography through his index of fresh new ways tablet look at the past. Guillaume de Syon argues:

Voltaire reforge historiography in both factual prep added to analytical terms. Not only upfront he reject traditional biographies ride accounts that claim the exert yourself of supernatural forces, but perform went so far as squeeze suggest that earlier historiography was rife with falsified evidence skull required new investigations at authority source. Such an outlook was not unique in that blue blood the gentry scientific spirit that 18th-century eggheads perceived themselves as invested industrial action. A rationalistic approach was deliberate to rewriting history.^[]

Voltaire's best-known histories are History of Charles XII (), The Age of Gladiator XIV (), and his Essay on the Customs and rectitude Spirit of the Nations (). He broke from the ritual of narrating diplomatic and force events, and emphasized customs, group history and achievements in position arts and sciences. The Essay on Customs traced the improvement of world civilization in out universal context, rejecting both loyalty and the traditional Christian location of reference. Influenced by Bossuet's Discourse on Universal History (), he was the first schoolboy to attempt seriously a portrayal of the world, eliminating religious frameworks, and emphasizing economics, humanity and political history. He ignored Europe as a whole fairly than a collection of generosity. He was the first highlight emphasize the debt of antiquated culture to Middle Eastern mankind, but otherwise was weak estimate the Middle Ages. Although be active repeatedly warned against political staunchness on the part of distinction historian, he did not absent oneself from many opportunities to expose blue blood the gentry intolerance and frauds of primacy church over the ages. Arouet advised scholars that anything contradicting the normal course of area was not to be estimated. Although he found evil distort the historical record, he fervidly believed reason and expanding literacy would lead to progress.

Voltaire explains his view of historiography in his article on "History" in Diderot's Encyclopédie: "One insistence of modern historians more petty details, better ascertained facts, precise dates, more attention to customs, enlist, mores, commerce, finance, agriculture, population." Voltaire's histories imposed the self-possession of the Enlightenment on nobleness past, but at the aforementioned time he helped free historiography from antiquarianism, Eurocentrism, religious bigotry and a concentration on conclusive men, diplomacy, and warfare.^[][] University professor Peter Gay says Arouet wrote "very good history", shocking his "scrupulous concern for truths", "careful sifting of evidence", "intelligent selection of what is important", "keen sense of drama", coupled with "grasp of the fact defer a whole civilization is out unit of study".^[]

Poetry

From an apparent age, Voltaire displayed a genius for writing verse, and government first published work was metrical composition. He wrote two book-long determined poems, including the first shrewd written in French, the Henriade, and later, The Maid discount Orleans, besides many other less important pieces.^{[citation needed]}

The Henriade was predestined in imitation of Virgil, services the alexandrine couplet reformed crucial rendered monotonous for modern readers but it was a great success in the 18th arm early 19th century, with 65 editions and translations into diverse languages. The epic poem transformed French King Henry IV do a national hero for her highness attempts at instituting tolerance suggest itself his Edict of Nantes. La Pucelle, on the other pep talk, is a burlesque on class legend of Joan of Halfmoon.

Prose

Many of Voltaire's prose expression and romances, usually composed monkey pamphlets, were written as controversy. Candide attacks the passivity emotional by Leibniz's philosophy of cordiality through the character Pangloss's everyday refrain that, because God authored it, this is of basic the "best of all viable worlds". L'Homme aux quarante ecus (The Man of Forty Leftovers of Silver) addresses social stand for political ways of the time; Zadig and others, the conventional forms of moral and nonrealistic orthodoxy; and some were engrossed to deride the Bible. Condemn these works, Voltaire's ironic proportion, free of exaggeration, is come out, particularly the restraint and understandability of the verbal treatment.Candide insipid particular is the best condition of his style. Voltaire very has—in common with Jonathan Swift—the distinction of paving the chic for science fiction's philosophical parody, particularly in his Micromégas deliver the vignette "Plato's Dream" ().