Voltaire and the French Enlightenment Summary and Analysis

A common criticism of Voltaire is that he has all the powers of hell in him. He lives a fairly average life in 1742 Paris but is kind, free with his energy and money, and as diligent helping friends as destroying enemies with a pen. Voltaire produces ninety-nine volumes of extensive and sparkling writing. He is stingy with his time because he has so much yet to do. Work keeps him from suicide in eighty-three years of life. Voltaire's work starts France thinking with unstoppable momentum. He is born Francois Marie Arouet in 1694 Paris. His father is successful as a notary and his mother is an aristocrat. Francois' aunt sees youthful signs of greatness. She gives him money to buy books. His father tells him a profession in literature will make him useless to...