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LITERATURE - Voltaire

François-Marie Arouet was born in Paris in 1694. His father, a prominent lawyer, enrolled him in the capital's finest school, where he excelled academically. Arouet made an early decision to pursue a career as a writer, opting to change his name to Voltaire. The 18th century, often known as the Age of Reason or the Age of Enlightenment, is sometimes more aptly referred to as the Age of Voltaire due to his significant influence. Voltaire, a gifted poet, had his first verse tragedy performed at the Comédie-Française when he was just 24 years old. He also began work on an epic poem about the 16th-century French religious civil wars, having converted from Protestantism to Catholicism. This topic deeply resonated with Voltaire, as he used the national epic as a platform to critique the brutal repercussions of religious intolerance. He expressed his views on religion early on, advocating for a rational, deistic belief system that rejected metaphysical ideas. Voltaire, a proponent of reason, detested fanaticism, idolatry, and superstition, particularly condemning the clergy for exploiting believers to maintain power. The French authorities objected to his poem, "La Henriade," resulting in Voltaire publishing it in London during his extended stay in England. His experience in England inspired him to write "Letters Concerning the English Nation," which critiqued French culture and politics through an informal and satirical lens. Voltaire's writings, including his renowned work "Candide," have had a lasting impact on European Enlightenment philosophy and language, with phrases like "pour encourager les autres" and "il faut cultiver le jardin" becoming commonplace expressions.