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Known by his pseudonym “Voltaire,” Francois-Marie Arouet is one of the most prominent representatives of the French Enlightenment.
From his youthful years he wrote many poems, letters, satirical and dramatic works, novels, historical and philosophical treatises, which were subsequently translated into almost all European languages.
Endowed with an agile intellect, Voltaire enriches his native French with the surprisingly rich and simple style he has created. Poet, playwright, essayist, writer, storyteller, historian and philosopher and one of the creators of libertarianism and liberalism.
Voltaire’s biography
François was born on November 21, 1694 in the family of a simple Parisian official. When he was still a child, he was interested in literature and history. He read all the books that were in the house and literally bombarded the adults with his, sometimes not children’s, questions about everything in the world.
For some time the boy studied at the Jesuit College of “Latin and other nonsense”, where he was assigned by his parents. But, without finishing, he left him, because he preferred literature to jurisprudence. The young man begins to create his first literary works in the palace of one of the aristocrats.
Interestingly, as a child, astrologers predicted his death at 33 years old. At this time, a duel was supposed to take place, but, fortunately, did not happen. At 63, the famous philosopher wrote: “I cheated astrology for 30 years, for this I ask you to excuse me”.
He leaves France in 1726 and goes to England. There he studies the foundations of politics, various branches of science.
Gabriel Emilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, Marquis du Châtelet (1706-1749) – French mathematician and physicist. Voltaire’s wife.
Returning to Paris, the philosopher published Philosophical Letters. The publication was confiscated, and the publisher was imprisoned in the Bastille. Voltaire fled to Lorraine, where he met the Marquis du Châtelet, their marriage lasted about 15 years.
In 1746 Voltaire took the post of poet and historian at the court, but he quarreled with the all-powerful Marquise de Pompadour. Soon he leaves for Prussia, and from there to Switzerland, where he buys a mansion in Fern.
Voltaire’s socio-philosophical views
Convinced that literature is designed to serve social progress, Voltaire turns his thoughts and works into philosophical works against social injustice. From a brilliant writer and philosopher, he became one of the harshest critics of absolutism and an outspoken enemy of the Church.
After the publication of the book “Louis XIV” (1751), the writer leads the fight against authoritarian rule. Further significant essays were published, also “An Outline of the Customs and Spirits of Nations” (1756) and “Philosophical Dictionary”, which explains in detail the belief in the superiority of reason over all other human emotions and passions.
Using various pseudonyms, he wrote hundreds of anonymous pamphlets criticizing the Church and Christian ideology.
The famous thinker achieves European fame thanks to his philosophical and literary works. In them, he reveals his life credo – the need to bridge the gap between an alienated society and an oppressed individual.
He strongly believes in an inner sense of universal justice, which must be enshrined in the laws that govern every human society. According to Voltaire, social life requires a “social order” that protects the interests of every person.
Francois-Marie Arouet. (Voltaire) Years of life 1694-1778
Morality should reveal the principles of fruitful cohabitation. Voltaire teaches that each person must take their destiny into their own hands, improve their position on the path of science. Make your life an art.
In 1778, the 83-year-old thinker returned to Paris. Severe pains, due to cancer, forced the philosopher to take opium. On May 30, Voltaire departed to another world. The ashes of the great Frenchman are in the Pantheon.
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