Voltaire (real name François-Marie Arouet) was born on November 21, 1694 in
Paris, France. He was a French Enlightenment writer, essayist, deist and philosopher.
Biography and Career :
His family was wealthy, so Voltaire followed the course of "Louis- le- Grand”. His uncle convinced him to become an atheist, fact that was contradictory to the early period of Illuminism. In 1711, Voltaire entered at the Law School. He left school being interesed in the high level discussions in that took place in the coffee in Paris.
For his critical spirit and mockery, Voltaire was imprisoned at Bastille for 11 months. In 1726 he left France for England, being influenced by the Empirism of John Locke and by the Deism.
In
1731, he published "Lettres philosophique" to give details about the English Liberalism. Voltaire named himself a "Theist" a man who believed in God, but who had given up the Christianity. His critics were applied both in religion and politics.
In 1734, Voltaire left for Lorena, not to be imprisoned again. He had been living there with his girlfriend Gabrielle-Emilie du Chatelet-Lomont since 1734 until 1748.
In Champagne he wrote all his memories, science, history and politics works, but also dramas and poems. The writer was also a philosopher of French Illuminism, being the initiator of the French Revolution together with Jean-Jaques Rousseau.
He wrote "Dictionnaire philosophique" in 1764, in which he revealed the image of Senzualism. Voltaire represented the highest spirit of his time, great accomplishments, being attributed to him as an historian illuminist.
In 1755, Voltaire settled down somewhere near Geneva where he spent his last 10 years of life as "the wise man from Ferney". He passed away on May 30, 1778 in Paris, France.
Trivia :
- In his 20's, Voltaire was forced to be an assistant to a lawyer but spent most of his time writing literature.
- In 1791, Voltaire was finally buried in the Pantheon in Paris.
- In 1759, Voltaire purchased an estate on the French-Swiss border where he lived until his death.
- Throughout his life, Voltaire was influenced by the writings of
Shakespeare, John Locke and Isaac Newton.
- In his 20's, Voltaire was forced to be an assistant to a lawyer but spent most of his time writing literature.
- He is considered one of France's greatest writers and philosophers.
- He was fluent in English, Latin, Greek, Spanish and Italian.
Quotes :
- "All men are born with a nose and ten fingers, but no one was born with a knowledge of God."
- "Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices."
- "Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well."
- "Behind every successful man stands a surprised mother-in-law."
Important Works :
- Oedipe (1718)
- Zaire (1732)
- Lettres philosophiques sur les Anglais (1733), revised as Letters on the English (circa 1778)
- Le Mondain (1736)
- Sept Discours en Vers sur l'Homme (1738)
- Micromégas (1752)
- Dictionnaire philosophique (1764)
- La Princesse de Babylone (1768)
- Epitre a l'Auteur du Livre des Trois Imposteurs (Letter to the author of The Three Impostors) (1770).
Voltaire Image : deism.com
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