voltaire

Describes the Enlightenment period in Europe during the eighteenth century and the works of French writer and philosopher, Voltaire, including his dramas "Oedipe," "Zaire," and "Mahomet," along with his poems and other writings, and discusses his life and his influence upon French society.

Contains modern translations of five stories by the eighteenth-century French author, including the title selection about a simple, optimistic man whose travels take him from one disaster to another; and includes a critical introduction and a chronology.

Presents study tools on Voltaire's 1759 satirical novel "Candide, " including summaries; critical commentaries; discussion of the work's contexts, structure, style, satire, and irony; review questions; and a selected bibliography.