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Voltaire's Accomplishments

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Born as the son of a wealthy notary with the name Francois Marie Arouet, Voltaire grew up with expectations that marked a disparity from the final path he chose in life. A man of elevated philosophical and literary talents, both were of great use to him in his numerous ambitions. Voltaire attended the College Louis le Grand in Paris which was a well known Jesuit school. The elements of societal issues that took precedence with him were his firm opinion on religious tolerance and his zealous advocacy of human justice and equality. His earnest love of theater grew with him over the years. Although Voltaire led a life of contentious views, he remained true to his personal relationships and values to the end. A man of astute personality, Voltaire …show more content…

In advocacy for justice, there were times when the issues at hand were inevitably interwoven with his fight against religious oppression. A great example was in the tremendous help he provided in bringing justice to the name of Jean Calas. In the Calas affair, a father was sentenced to death after being accused of killing his son over his conversion to Catholicism from Protestantism. The punishment of the father was swift and yet through investigation, Voltaire proved his innocence. Restitution was later made in restoring the father’s good name as well as donations provided to the family by society, but at what cost? It was an injustice that echoed many of its kind during that time. As Voltaire himself referenced during the trials of Jean Calas after his death, “We shall have complete justice; but we shall not have it in one day. It is easier to break a man than to condemn a Parlement.”[ Ian Davidson, Voltaire in Exile: The Last Years, 1753-78 (Grove Press, 2006), 119.] It was a rather apt description of the swift condemnation that befell Calas while the pursuit of justice came in later than he needed. Voltaire played a great part in keeping the public aware of the situation through his writings. As with anything that is exposed before many eyes, it contributed to the cause being heard throughout the

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