Reading Notes W4: Voltaire, Part A

Reading Notes 

Week4

Voltaire 

• pg. 352 On the first page of this reading it dives right into the life Francois-Marie Arouet better know as Voltaire and just how much of a pioneer he was for rebellious literature. He wrote whatever he wanted no matter the amount of trouble he could get into and then did whatever it took to get his message read by the public 
• Voltaire would direct his written to exercise his freedom of speech before it was even a given right. He would do things like mock corrupt priest and self indulged kings. Basically calling out those in power not and fearing the repercussions. 
• His use of imagery to make his words turn into pictures in the minds of his readers helped him be thrusted into the spotlight. 
• Also being thrown into jail didn't even stop his grind to express his freedom of speech and he would use messenger to get his work out. 
• Voltaire lived to the old age of 83. Even though he lived in a time where his type of writing could have gotten him killed by people in higher power he managed to lived pass regular age limits. 
• Voltaire was a trouble child and he continued this into his adult hood getting into trouble with authorities. 
• Born in Pairs on 1694 to a middle class family. He was sent to a boarding school at the young age of 10 where he grew a love for literature even though his father wanted him to pursue law. But he began to write plays and poetry. 
• Voltaire at a young age made a bunch of powerful friends but his constant use of sarcasm also earned him his share of enemies. 
• Voltaire was sent to jail for the first time after attacking the head of state and was sentence for almost up to a year. He wrote his first play Oedipus which was very successful and earned him a good amount of wealth and began to establish a literature reputation. 
• Voltaire went into to exile in England after a confrontation with a noble man where he met fellow writers Johnathan With and Alexander Pope. He enjoyed England for its freedom of censorship and no punishment for writers. 
• After spending time in England  Voltaire strengthened his urge to oppose authority