Voltaire was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, and even scientific expositions. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and 2,000 books and pamphlets. Voltaire was one of the first authors to become renowned and commercially successful internationally. He was an outspoken advocate of civil liberties and was at constant risk from the strict censorship laws of the Catholic French monarchy. His polemics witheringly satirized intolerance and religious dogma, as well as the French institutions of his day. His best-known work and magnum opus, Candide, is a novella that comments on, criticizes, and ridicules many events, thinkers and philosophies of his time, most notably Gottfried Leibniz and his belief that our world is of necessity the "best of all possible worlds".
Faits clés
- Born: November 21, 1694 in Paris, Kingdom of France
- Décès : 1778
- Domaine : Literature
Héritage et influence
The influence of Voltaire extends far beyond his own lifetime. He fundamentally shaped literature and the written word, and his written works and literary innovations remain foundational to this day.
Though he passed away in 1778, his ideas continue to be studied, debated, and built upon by scholars and practitioners worldwide.
Voltaire demeure l'un des esprits les plus célèbres issus de France, témoignage du riche héritage intellectuel de la région.
Génies notables de France
France a donné naissance à de nombreux esprits remarquables. Aux côtés de Voltaire :
Voir tous les génies de France →
Découvrez d'autres esprits brillants en Literature
Explorer Literature GeniusesArticles connexes
Explorerr plus
Lire le profil complet de Voltaire
Voir le profil de Voltaire →