Showing results for "Voltaire" in Literary Fiction

These two classic coming-of-age stories by Voltaire parody the romanticism of his day with the ruthless wit that has made him the undisputed master of social commentary.

Voltaire's razor-sharp satire on philosophical optimism, Candide, is coupled here with another of the author's most celebrated works, Zadig. Both challenge the moral and philosophical orthodoxies of the day with humor and sly wit, while parodying the clichéd formulas of so many contemporary novels.

Candide, the illegitimate nephew of a German baron and student of eternal optimist Pangloss, is living a simple and sheltered life in "the best of all possible worlds." But when Candide falls in love with the wrong woman, his uncle's young daughter, he is exiled from the baron's castle and suffers great tragedy and catastrophe, which leaves him disillusioned and questioning the goodness of the universe.

Paris, janvier 1907. Albert arpente frénétiquement les rues du 11e arrondissement. Marthe, la fillette de 12 ans qu'il accompagnait à un spectacle de music-hall à Ba-Ta-Clan, s'est volatilisée. Avec Marissi, la mère de l'enfant, il se rend au commissariat afin de signaler la disparition. Alors que les plus hautes instances de l'État envisagent l'abolition de la peine de mort, l'enquête sur la disparition de Marthe piétine et l'opinion publique gronde.

This is the tale of the happy but ill-fated Candide and his progressive disillusionment with the idea that we live in the best of all possible worlds. His tutor, Dr. Pangloss, embodies this philosophy of good cheer, even in the face of ever more absurd misfortunes. Luckily, Candide's other companions provide an over-supply of good sense.

Der ganze Stolz des alten Belos, dem König von Babylon, ist seine 18-jährige Tochter Formosante, deren Schönheit mit Worten nicht beschrieben werden kann und welcher es dementsprechend schwerfällt, einen auch nur im Ansatz würdigen Ehemann zu finden. Königssöhne und alleinstehende Könige versuchen reihenweise ihr Glück, aber nur einer wird sich als würdig erweisen oder steckt hinter dieser Geschichte mehr als bloß eine Heirat? Ja - viel mehr.

Tomandole el pelo a la humanidad. La vision del mundo que tuvo Voltaire debio haber sido muy risuena, ya que su obra es un conjunto de ironias y de humor que va de lo escabroso a lo filosofico. Lo notable es que todo esto estuvo al servicio de ideas, en las cuales el tono satirico sirivieron para encauzar y ensenar al mundo hacia algo mejor.

El relato Micromegas, escrito en 1752, es uno de los relatos cortos de Voltaire. Una sátira ingeniosa que narra el encuentro entre dos seres extraterrestres, Micromegas, un gigante de 120.000 pies de altura, y su compañero, un ser aún más grande de 800.000 pies de altura. Ambos provienen de estrellas distantes y visitan la Tierra en una búsqueda de conocimiento. A través de este relato, Voltaire explora temas como la relatividad de la perspectiva humana, la vanidad de la humanidad y la crítica satírica de la sociedad y la filosofía de su tiempo.

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that are difficult to achieve elsewhere. The City of Lights may be one of the glories of the world but for those whose three score and ten have passed it is the final resting place for some of the very finest of literary talents.