Voltaire wrote plays, scientific texts, philosophical tales, articles for the Encyclopédie, and thousands of letters. The quintessential philosophe, Voltaire promoted reason and tolerance and fought against superstition and injustice by using his wit and gift for satire. This lesson introduces you to Voltaire through his Lettres philosophiques sur les Anglais—a fictional set of letters that promotes an enlightened spirit of inquiry and examination of received views.
This lesson will introduce you to the life and works of Voltaire. After studying this lesson, you should be able to identify some specific critiques made by Voltaire concerning French social and political practices and philosophy. You will also learn how Voltaire uses irony to promote his agenda of enlightenment.