Voltaire And The Age Of Enlightenment

Voltaire and the Age of Enlightenment

Voltaire was born as Francois Marie Arouet in Paris on November 21, 1694 as the son of a Notary. He was educated by the Jesuits at the College Louis-le-Grand and grew up assumed the pen name "Voltaire" and became a French writer, Philosopher, and one of the leaders of the Enlightenment.

Voltaire wrote many letters in his life time, most of which were to famous rulers, philosophers, and noble families or people that had great influence on people. He also wrote many poems too such as Poeme de la ligue( Poem of the League) in 1723 which was later renamed to La Henriade(The Henriad), and Le pour et le contre (For and Against). Voltaire wrote a number of essays also, two of which were used to prepare the British for his publication of the Poeme de la ligue, one was on Epic Poetry and the other on the History of Civil Wars in France.

Title page from "La Henriade" (1778 Geneva edition...

English: La Henriade de Voltaire à Londres en 172...

Engraving of Voltaire published as the frontispiec...

I would consider Voltaire and enlightened individual because he was one of the leaders of the Enlightenment. Many of his writings expressed many views and feelings. He contributed to the Enlightenment and society by publishing his poems, essays, and letters which sometimes got him in trouble and imprisoned were just his views and feelings about abiding faith in the power of human reason. He among many others and their writings helped start the Enlightenment and keep it going despite the negative feedback from the government and other high/noble officials and families.

Due to a fight with a member of a noble and rich family Voltaire was imprisoned and released within two weeks due to his promise of leaving France and to move to England. After two years he learned the English language and wrote Poeme de la ligue in...