Voltaire

en François-Marie Arouet (it) François-Marie Arouet (fr)

Paris, France

Born 1694 — Died 1778

Biography

François-Marie Arouet, known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was a prominent French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his attacks on the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state. Born in Paris in 1694, he was a prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, historical and scientific works, and over 20,000 letters. Despite facing censorship and exile for his radical ideas, he tirelessly championed reason, tolerance, and justice, becoming a leading figure in the intellectual movement that profoundly influenced the French Revolution and modern Western thought. He died in 1778.

Selected Thoughts

«I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.»

«Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.»

«Ecrasez l'infâme! (Crush the infamous thing!)»

Writing Style

Voltaire's writing style is characterized by sharp wit, biting satire, irony, clarity, and often dramatic narrative. He used accessible prose, especially in philosophical tales like 'Candide,' to critique societal injustices, religious fanaticism, and political tyranny. His style is direct, persuasive, polemical, and aimed at engaging a broad audience with complex philosophical ideas.