Voltaire

Voltaire was a French writer and thinker who lived during the 1700s. His real name was François-Marie Arouet. He was born in 1694 in Paris, France. Voltaire wrote plays, poems, essays, and history books. He lived during the Enlightenment, a time when many writers in Europe focused on reason, learning, and clear thinking.

Voltaire studied at a school run by Jesuits, a Catholic teaching group. He showed strong skill in writing and language at a young age. As an adult, he often criticized powerful people through his writing. Because of this, he was sometimes arrested or forced to leave France. He spent time living in England, where he learned about English politics and science.

While in England, Voltaire read the works of Isaac Newton and John Locke. Newton was a scientist, and Locke was a philosopher. Voltaire later wrote about their ideas in French so others could read them. He believed that clear language helped spread ideas. Many of his writings were short and direct, making them easy to share.

Voltaire often used stories to explain his views. One of his best-known works is Candide, a short novel. A novel is a long fictional story. In this book, Voltaire used humor and simple events to describe problems in society. He also wrote about history, including a book called The Age of Louis XIV, which described France during the reign of that king.

Voltaire believed that people should be free to think and speak. He wrote against censorship, which is the control of writing or speech by authorities. He also criticized unfair laws and religious intolerance. Intolerance means refusing to accept different beliefs. Voltaire believed that disagreement should be handled through discussion rather than force.

Voltaire spent his later years near the border of France and Switzerland. This location helped him avoid trouble with French authorities. He continued writing letters and books until old age. Voltaire died in 1778 in Paris. He is remembered as a major writer of the Enlightenment who used clear words to discuss society, history, and ideas.