What did Voltaire write and what was it about?

What did Voltaire write and what was it about?

Voltaire wrote on subjects as distinct as metaphysics and politics, and he circulated nearly as many books of history as he did books of political theory. Common themes pervade his work: liberty, progress, and equality are discussed at length and in depth in many of Voltaire’s books and pamphlets.

What did Voltaire write in the Enlightenment?

Voltaire established himself as one of the leading writers of the Enlightenment. His famed works include the tragic play Zaïre, the historical study The Age of Louis XIV and the satirical novella Candide.

What did Voltaire write about religion?

The Treatise on Tolerance A work by French philosopher Voltaire, published in 1763, in which he calls for tolerance between religions, and targets religious fanaticism, especially that of the Jesuits (under whom Voltaire received his early education), indicting all superstitions surrounding religions.

What did Voltaire say about speech?

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

What was Voltaire’s opinion on writing history?

Despite that, Voltaire was unafraid and determined to write history as he believed it should be written; where the historian focuses less on events and more on culture and the bigger picture that shapes the world. In The Age of Louis XIV, Voltaire had an extremely interesting chapter towards the very end of the book.

Why does Voltaire not like religion?

More generally, Voltaire disliked religious fanaticism of any kind which he viewed as a tool of oppression for both the adherents of the religion as well as those who might wish to practice other faiths. Voltaire also had a deep distrust for democracy.

What Voltaire said about freedom of speech?

Voltaire championed freedom of thought Meanwhile, he rejected everything irrational and incomprehensible and championed freedom of thought. His rallying cry was “écrasez l’infâme” (“let us crush the evil thing”), referring to religious superstition.

How does Voltaire use satire in his novel Candide?

Use of Satire in Voltaire’s Candide Voltaire successfully uses satire as a means of conveying his opinions about life. In his novel, Candide, Voltaire satirizes the philosopher Liebnitz’s philosophy that this is the best of all possible worlds.

What kind of genre did Voltaire write about?

Voltaire wrote about important genres: tragedy, history, philosophy and fiction just as his English contemporary Samuel Johnson. American heritage dictionary defines satire as, “An artistic work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.

What did Voltaire say about the Catholic Church?

Voltaire satirizes organized religion with the use of religious figures in the novel. He criticizes religion by showing examples of corrupt leaders such as the Pope, and the Jesuit Baron. Voltaire is clearly against the Catholic Church and mocks the Christian faith as well as the Jews, and Muslims.

How is Voltaire’s novel a satire of the old regime?

Voltaire’s novel is a satire of the Old Regime ideologies in which he critiques the political, social, and religious ideals of his time. A common intellectual characteristic of the Enlightenment was anti-feudalism. Philosophers were against the separations in the Old Regime and pushed for equality among human beings.