Although Voltaire's utility as a historian has been both praised and maligned, a study of this literary genius is indispensable for the student of world history. Voltaire was one of the most prolific writers of the eighteenth century. He played an important role in elevating the study of the history of society to the same level as that of the natural sciences. Voltaire is often referred to as the father of historiography.
Voltaire's eventful life has been termed his greatest masterpiece. He was not only a man of words, he was a man of action as well. As Richter and Ricardo (1980) put it, "Eventually his life [became] more than just the story of one man's search for truth and happiness: it is the story of an entire age's search for enlightenment" (p. 21).
Born Francois Marie Arouet in 1694, Voltaire became one of France's most famous writers and, in his latter years, was considered an intellectual ruler of Europe. Although his father wished him to pursue a legal career, Voltaire ended his formal studies at the age of 16 and employed his literary gifts to secure his place in Parisian society: "As a mere adolescent he charmed prominent French nobles with his irreverent verses and lively wit, and high society eagerly opened its doors to him" (Richter and Ricardo, 1980, p. 19).
Voltaire's penchant for satirical verses aimed at the French government eventually led to his imprisonment in the Bastille for almost a year. His sentence failed to stem the tide of his literary output, however. Voltaire continued to write and re-assumed his place among the French aristocracy after his incarceration. A heated dispute with a member of aristocracy resulted in his subsequent exile from France.
Some historians contend that it was Voltaire's English sojourn during his French exile that greatly influenced his political and religious thinking. Voltaire lived in England between 1726 and 1729. He was attracted by the ideas of...