Voltaire

A detailed Summary of Voltaire

"I do not agree with a word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." (Lowers, p.6) In a way this quote by Voltaire describes the way he lived his life. He was a freethinker who believed that everybody should be able to say and write what he or she wanted. He was the most controversial writer during the time of the Enlightenment. He believed that he should be able to write what he wished without anything happening to him. However, that was not the case.

Voltaire, the pen name of Francois-Marie Arouet, was born November 21, 1694 to a middle class family. As a child and through his whole life Voltaire was always ill. He was also a Hypochondriac. Once in a letter to a friend Voltaire said, "the pen falls from my hand" and "I am sick as a dog." ( Parton, p.18) Since his birth his mother had never been well. When Voltaire was seven his mother died. This allowed his father to be a primary influence, but the relationship proved to be filled with friction.

His father was a lawyer who was very well known and had some famous clients. (Mason, p. 16) His father always wanted him to become a lawyer so at the age of 10 he sent his son to a Jesuit school. At the school he was a brilliant st

Near the end of Voltaire's life he was gaining more respect for his literary thoughts. He lived at his house in Ferney. He wrote plays and books up until his death in 1778. In 1778 at the age of 84 Voltaire decided to return to Paris. He had written a new play, Irene, and wanted to direct the rehearsals and attend its opening. When he arrived, notables in literature and the arts greeted him. Only the clergy and the government did not come. Irene was a triumph! People realized that it could not be compared to any of his other plays.

Durant, Will and Ariel. The Age of Voltaire. New York: Mahony and Roese

Soon after Irene's opening Voltaire fell badly ill. Priests tried to persuade him to meet death with dignity. Voltaire wished only to have a decent burial without scandal. When he died in May 1778 they did not allow him to be buried in France. However, in 1791, during the revolution, the National Assembly organized dignified ceremonies for the transfer of Voltaire's ashes to the Pantheon. For a century and a half he remained the symbol of conflict to the church, the State, and established thinking.

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Approximate Word count = 1723
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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Voltaire

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