Voltaire

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Voltaire was a talented, assertive, and controversial French writer from the

eighteenth century enlightenment period. He was born in 1694 to a wealthy

family in Paris, and given the name Francois-Marie Arouet. During the early

years of his life Voltaire endured many hardships. For instance, his mother

passed away when he was seven leaving only his father and older brother to

raise him. Unfortunately, this added insult to injury as Voltaire despised

both his father and brother. Nevertheless, Voltaire's determination allowed

him to rise above his early misfortunes, and he later went on to pursue

college at the College of Louis-le-Grand in Paris. Once there he studied

literature, despite his father's wishes that he pursue a carreer in law. It

was during this stretch of the young writer's life he first voiced his

oppositions on the established church and government in France. By the young

age of twenty two Voltaire was exhiled to Sully-sur-Loire for writing a

satire of the Duke of Orleans, the ruling regent of France. Voltaire's bouts

with those in power continued throughout most his life. In fact, he was

subject to brief spells in prison on more than one occasion for aggrevating

the reigning Monarch.

Despite French governmental attempts to deter or imprison him, Voltaire went

on to become an exeptional philosopher, author, and leading figure of the

enlightenment

The overall message of "Candide" is that every human being has the p...

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