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Please answer the 3 following questions in detail based on the reading 1. Why did Voltaire believe England was superior to France?

Please answer the 3 following questions in detail based on the reading 1. Why did Voltaire believe England was superior to France?

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Please answer the 3 following questions in detail based on the reading

1. Why did Voltaire believe England was superior
to France?

2. What do you think were Voltaire’s strongest be-
liefs? Why do you think he held them? Are

Voltaire’s beliefs relevant to today’s world? Ex-
plain your answers.

3. The following two quotations are often attributed
to Voltaire, yet no evidence exists that he ever
said them:

• “I disapprove of what you say, but I will de-
fend to the death your right to say it.”

• On his death bed when a priest asked him to
renounce Satan, Voltaire replied, “Now is not
the time for making new enemies.”
Why do you think people

Wikimedia Commons TOLERANCE: VOLTAIRE AND THE SPIRIT OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT Voltaire (1694-1778) around age 24. A sharp-witted critic of authority, Voltaire saw many of his own writings banned in his lifetime. One of the leaders of the French Enlightenment, Voltaire advocated for greater freedom of speech and the press and railed against superstition, fanaticism, and religious intolerance. Voltaire was born in Paris in 1694. He grew up at the end of the long reign of King Louis XIV, the absolute monarch who ruled France from 1643 until his death in 1715. Voltaire's name at birth was François-Marie Arouet. His father was a well-to-do lawyer and wanted his son also to pursu a career in law. When Voltaire finished school, however, he announced he wanted to be a writer. His father repeatedly tried to push him into law, shuffling him off to legal jobs within and even outside France. Each job led to the same result: Voltaire charmed his hosts with his great wit, concentrated on his writing, and failed at his job. Finally, his father had to pull Voltaire back to Paris before he eloped with a girl he had met. When Voltaire returned, Louis XIV had died, his 5-year-old son, Louis XV, could not rule until he reached the age of 13, and the Duke of Orleans ruled in his place as regent. The Paris social scene was particularly lively during the re- gency, and Voltaire eagerly jumped in. He quickly gained a reputation in social circles for his ironic poetry and lively, barbed wit, but he overstepped the line when he wrote verses that mocked the regent's family. The regent sent him to the Bastille, the Paris prison, for 11 months. Behind bars, he wrote Oedipe, based on the an- cient Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex. He placed the 10 name "Monsieur de Voltaire" on the play's title page, his first use of this name. He wrote constantly throughout his long career. His sheer output was amazing. With boundless en- ergy, fueled by cup after cup of coffee, he wrote from the time he arose to when he went out at night. He wrote more than 20,000 letters, signed "Voltaire," to philosophers, scientists, writers, cler- gymen, and even kings and queens. He also wrote innumerable essays, plays, novels, books and book- lets, poems, histories, scientific works, and pieces of journalism and criticism. Many of his works car- ried other pen names (he used almost 200 pen names in his career) or had no name attached at all, because, as he knew too well, writing the wrong words in France could land an author in prison. When Oedipe was staged in Paris, the public hailed it as a masterpiece. The play made Voltaire famous, and he returned to the social scene as the most sought-after guest in Paris. But on two separate social occasions, a young nobleman mocked Voltaire for changing his name. Each time Voltaire responded with a retort of his own. Enraged at Voltaire's nerve, the nobleman sent his servants to beat up Voltaire while he watched at a distance. Voltaire tried to get the authorities to ar- rest him, but he was a nobleman, and Voltaire, a mere playwright. They refused to help. Voltaire de- cided to challenge him to a duel. Learning of Voltaire's plan, the nobleman arranged for an order, WORLD HISTORY
Transcribed Image Text:Wikimedia Commons TOLERANCE: VOLTAIRE AND THE SPIRIT OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT Voltaire (1694-1778) around age 24. A sharp-witted critic of authority, Voltaire saw many of his own writings banned in his lifetime. One of the leaders of the French Enlightenment, Voltaire advocated for greater freedom of speech and the press and railed against superstition, fanaticism, and religious intolerance. Voltaire was born in Paris in 1694. He grew up at the end of the long reign of King Louis XIV, the absolute monarch who ruled France from 1643 until his death in 1715. Voltaire's name at birth was François-Marie Arouet. His father was a well-to-do lawyer and wanted his son also to pursu a career in law. When Voltaire finished school, however, he announced he wanted to be a writer. His father repeatedly tried to push him into law, shuffling him off to legal jobs within and even outside France. Each job led to the same result: Voltaire charmed his hosts with his great wit, concentrated on his writing, and failed at his job. Finally, his father had to pull Voltaire back to Paris before he eloped with a girl he had met. When Voltaire returned, Louis XIV had died, his 5-year-old son, Louis XV, could not rule until he reached the age of 13, and the Duke of Orleans ruled in his place as regent. The Paris social scene was particularly lively during the re- gency, and Voltaire eagerly jumped in. He quickly gained a reputation in social circles for his ironic poetry and lively, barbed wit, but he overstepped the line when he wrote verses that mocked the regent's family. The regent sent him to the Bastille, the Paris prison, for 11 months. Behind bars, he wrote Oedipe, based on the an- cient Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex. He placed the 10 name "Monsieur de Voltaire" on the play's title page, his first use of this name. He wrote constantly throughout his long career. His sheer output was amazing. With boundless en- ergy, fueled by cup after cup of coffee, he wrote from the time he arose to when he went out at night. He wrote more than 20,000 letters, signed "Voltaire," to philosophers, scientists, writers, cler- gymen, and even kings and queens. He also wrote innumerable essays, plays, novels, books and book- lets, poems, histories, scientific works, and pieces of journalism and criticism. Many of his works car- ried other pen names (he used almost 200 pen names in his career) or had no name attached at all, because, as he knew too well, writing the wrong words in France could land an author in prison. When Oedipe was staged in Paris, the public hailed it as a masterpiece. The play made Voltaire famous, and he returned to the social scene as the most sought-after guest in Paris. But on two separate social occasions, a young nobleman mocked Voltaire for changing his name. Each time Voltaire responded with a retort of his own. Enraged at Voltaire's nerve, the nobleman sent his servants to beat up Voltaire while he watched at a distance. Voltaire tried to get the authorities to ar- rest him, but he was a nobleman, and Voltaire, a mere playwright. They refused to help. Voltaire de- cided to challenge him to a duel. Learning of Voltaire's plan, the nobleman arranged for an order, WORLD HISTORY
signed by the regent, to send Voltaire to the Bastille. Voltaire was not entitled to a trial, appeal, or any other way to defend himself. The English Years (1726-1728) After a short time in the Bastille, however, Voltaire persuaded the authorities to let him go into exile in England. He spent the next two years in Lon- don. Voltaire quickly mastered the English language, and using his contacts from Parisian society, he min- gled with the leading scientists and writers of London. Voltaire found a lot to admire in England. The country allowed much greater freedom than France. Its writers did not fear being sent to prison for what they wrote. In fact, no one went to prison without a trial. Even the king had to obey the law. He saw greater religious diversity. Hundreds of Protestant sects existed side by side. He particularly respected one sect, the Quakers, who practiced paci- fism, lived simply, and had no clergy. He observed that England held different values than France. He attended the funeral of Isaac Newton and marveled that England honored the life of the great scientist and mathematician. He also noted that England respected its busi- nessmen. In short, he found England to be a much more vigorous and prosperous society than France, where the royalty, nobles, and clergy held all the power. Voltaire immersed himself in studying the works of Newton and the philosopher John Locke (1632-1704). Locke was a pro- ponent of human rights and natural philosophy. Thomas Jefferson borrowed many of Locke's ideas (and even words) when writing the Declaration of In- dependence: "all men . . . are endowed by their Cre- ator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Chateau de Cirey (1734-1749) Voltaire was allowed to return to France in 1729. At a dinner party in Paris, a mathematician told him of a plan to win a government lottery. He joined in the plan and won a fortune. In addition, his father had died and left him an inheritance. Voltaire in- vested his money wisely and remained rich for the rest of his life. Unlike most writers and artists of his day, Voltaire never had to look for a patron to sup- port him financially. But his wealth did not protect him from the authorities. Voltaire had written his thoughts about England in a series of collected essays that praised England (o) 2016 Constitut and by implication criticized France. The work was published in England, but Voltaire had not gotten permission from the French censors to publish it in France. When the work was printed in France (prob- ably without Voltaire's permission), it caused a scandal. The censors banned the book and burned it in public, and Voltaire had to flee Paris because he was about to be arrested once again. The censors banned the book and burned it in public, and Voltaire had to flee Paris . . . . He fled to the Chateau de Cirey, an estate in east- ern France, but close to the border just in case he had to flee France completely. He felt safe because it was owned by a nobleman, and therefore the French authorities probably would not go after him there. The resident of the estate was a woman he knew, Emilie de Breteuil. Brilliant, highly educated, and 12 years younger than Voltaire, she knew much more about Newtonian science than Voltaire. He lived with her for the next 15 years. Voltaire renovated the estate. He and Emilie spent their days studying science, conducting experiments, de- bating subjects, and writing. One debate centered on Got- tfried Leibniz, the German scientist, mathematician, and philosopher. Leibniz had developed calculus at the same time as Newton and is consid- ered its co-founder. Although Emilie believed Newton was the greater scientist, she enjoyed Leibniz's metaphysics. Metaphysics, to over- simplify, is the study of what exists behind or beyond physical reality. Voltaire considered metaphysics too abstract and impractical. He preferred the practical, the scientific, and the experimental. Hence they argued. At night, they enter- tained the many guests who visited them. In and Out of France (1750-1778) In 1749, Emilie died in childbirth, and Voltaire had to find a new home. He returned to Paris and then in 1751, he accepted an offer from Frederick the Great, the king of Prussia, to be an adviser at his court. All went well at first, but then Voltaire got into a dispute with Frederick's main science adviser and accused him of plagiarizing Leibniz. Frederick flew into a rage, and Voltaire fled. Learning that King Louis XV did not want him to return to Paris, Voltaire went to Geneva, then an in- dependent city-state (today it is a city in Switzer- land). He bought an estate, continued his writing, entertained guests, and performed his plays. But Geneva was a strict Protestant state and outlawed performing plays. After several years, Voltaire moved on. His solu- tion was to relocate to nearby Ferney and buy a large 11 WORLD HISTORY Rights Foundation fuco ou DRIA 21.2
Transcribed Image Text:signed by the regent, to send Voltaire to the Bastille. Voltaire was not entitled to a trial, appeal, or any other way to defend himself. The English Years (1726-1728) After a short time in the Bastille, however, Voltaire persuaded the authorities to let him go into exile in England. He spent the next two years in Lon- don. Voltaire quickly mastered the English language, and using his contacts from Parisian society, he min- gled with the leading scientists and writers of London. Voltaire found a lot to admire in England. The country allowed much greater freedom than France. Its writers did not fear being sent to prison for what they wrote. In fact, no one went to prison without a trial. Even the king had to obey the law. He saw greater religious diversity. Hundreds of Protestant sects existed side by side. He particularly respected one sect, the Quakers, who practiced paci- fism, lived simply, and had no clergy. He observed that England held different values than France. He attended the funeral of Isaac Newton and marveled that England honored the life of the great scientist and mathematician. He also noted that England respected its busi- nessmen. In short, he found England to be a much more vigorous and prosperous society than France, where the royalty, nobles, and clergy held all the power. Voltaire immersed himself in studying the works of Newton and the philosopher John Locke (1632-1704). Locke was a pro- ponent of human rights and natural philosophy. Thomas Jefferson borrowed many of Locke's ideas (and even words) when writing the Declaration of In- dependence: "all men . . . are endowed by their Cre- ator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Chateau de Cirey (1734-1749) Voltaire was allowed to return to France in 1729. At a dinner party in Paris, a mathematician told him of a plan to win a government lottery. He joined in the plan and won a fortune. In addition, his father had died and left him an inheritance. Voltaire in- vested his money wisely and remained rich for the rest of his life. Unlike most writers and artists of his day, Voltaire never had to look for a patron to sup- port him financially. But his wealth did not protect him from the authorities. Voltaire had written his thoughts about England in a series of collected essays that praised England (o) 2016 Constitut and by implication criticized France. The work was published in England, but Voltaire had not gotten permission from the French censors to publish it in France. When the work was printed in France (prob- ably without Voltaire's permission), it caused a scandal. The censors banned the book and burned it in public, and Voltaire had to flee Paris because he was about to be arrested once again. The censors banned the book and burned it in public, and Voltaire had to flee Paris . . . . He fled to the Chateau de Cirey, an estate in east- ern France, but close to the border just in case he had to flee France completely. He felt safe because it was owned by a nobleman, and therefore the French authorities probably would not go after him there. The resident of the estate was a woman he knew, Emilie de Breteuil. Brilliant, highly educated, and 12 years younger than Voltaire, she knew much more about Newtonian science than Voltaire. He lived with her for the next 15 years. Voltaire renovated the estate. He and Emilie spent their days studying science, conducting experiments, de- bating subjects, and writing. One debate centered on Got- tfried Leibniz, the German scientist, mathematician, and philosopher. Leibniz had developed calculus at the same time as Newton and is consid- ered its co-founder. Although Emilie believed Newton was the greater scientist, she enjoyed Leibniz's metaphysics. Metaphysics, to over- simplify, is the study of what exists behind or beyond physical reality. Voltaire considered metaphysics too abstract and impractical. He preferred the practical, the scientific, and the experimental. Hence they argued. At night, they enter- tained the many guests who visited them. In and Out of France (1750-1778) In 1749, Emilie died in childbirth, and Voltaire had to find a new home. He returned to Paris and then in 1751, he accepted an offer from Frederick the Great, the king of Prussia, to be an adviser at his court. All went well at first, but then Voltaire got into a dispute with Frederick's main science adviser and accused him of plagiarizing Leibniz. Frederick flew into a rage, and Voltaire fled. Learning that King Louis XV did not want him to return to Paris, Voltaire went to Geneva, then an in- dependent city-state (today it is a city in Switzer- land). He bought an estate, continued his writing, entertained guests, and performed his plays. But Geneva was a strict Protestant state and outlawed performing plays. After several years, Voltaire moved on. His solu- tion was to relocate to nearby Ferney and buy a large 11 WORLD HISTORY Rights Foundation fuco ou DRIA 21.2
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