Voltaire

Born François-Marie Arouet in Paris in 1694, Voltaire became one of the most famous writers in Europe under the pen name by which he is now known. He worked across almost every form—plays, poems, essays, history, philosophy, and an enormous body of letters—and built a reputation for quick intelligence, style, and fearless public argument.

His life was as dramatic as his work. He was imprisoned in the Bastille early in his career, later spent time in exile in England, and was deeply influenced by English political and intellectual life. Again and again, he used his writing to attack fanaticism and injustice and to defend civil liberties, especially freedom of thought and religious toleration.

Voltaire is often remembered as one of the defining voices of the Enlightenment. His philosophical tale Candide remains his best-known book, but his broader legacy comes from the energy of his ideas: skepticism toward dogma, sympathy for victims of persecution, and a belief that reason and criticism could improve public life. He died in Paris in 1778.