Voltaire

Voltaire was a philosophe in the Enlightenment who held several important positions. He argued that religion is necessary, but tolerance is key. He advocated "enlightened monarchy," a system of government in which the royals are educated. Voltaire maintained correspondence with Catherine the Great of Russia, as well as other major leaders. His works include Candide, with characters like Pangloss. He often wrote in satire where everything went wrong. The final line of Candide reads, "tend our own garden." Different readers have interpreted this in different ways. One opinion suggests this to be a symbol a Voltaire's optimism.

Back to Unit 7 & 8 Terms Created by Becca Ellison 2-11-09 Edited by Danielle Fishman 2/11/09