Voltaire

Haydn Mason (Independent Scholar - Europe)
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Voltaire’s life transcended the eighteenth century. Born while Louis XIV was still in his conquering prime, he died just a decade before the Revolution. Well before his death, the century was commonly referred to as “Le Siècle de Voltaire” (“The Age of Voltaire”). He became and remains to this day an iconic figure, a key symbol of the freedom to speak, write and, above all, think. “Osez penser par vous-même” (“Dare to think for yourself”), as the protagonist Boldmind (whose name reveals Voltaire’s admiration for intellectual freedom as he perceived it in England) adjures his fearful Portuguese companion Medroso (art. “Liberté de penser” (“Freedom of thought”),

Dictionnaire philosophique

(1765),

The Complete Works of Voltaire

36 (1994), p.300). It…

2786 words

Citation: Mason, Haydn. "Voltaire". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 January 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4561, accessed 19 March 2024.]

4561 Voltaire 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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