|
Micromégas (Messac)
''Le Micromégas'' is a 1752 novella by the French philosopher and satirist Voltaire. Along with his story "Plato's Dream", it is an early example in the literary genre of science fiction and has its place in the development of the history of literature. Some uncertainty surrounds the first publication of ''Micromégas'', with possible editions dating to 1751 or as early as 1739, but with the widely accepted publication being 1752. The tale recounts the visit to Earth of a Extraterrestrial life, being from a planet circling the star Sirius, and of his companion from the planet Saturn. The technique of using an outsider to comment on aspects of Western culture was popular in this period; Voltaire also used it in ''Zadig''. Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, Montesquieu, too, applied it in ''Persian Letters'', as did José Cadalso in ''Cartas marruecas'' and Tomás Antônio Gonzaga in ''Cartas Chilenas''. Plot The story is organized into seven brief chapters. The first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
François-Marie Arouet
François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778), known by his '' nom de plume'' Voltaire (, ; ), was a French Enlightenment writer, philosopher ('' philosophe''), satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit and his criticism of Christianity (especially of the Roman Catholic Church) and of slavery, Voltaire was an advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state. Voltaire was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, histories, and even scientific expositions. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and 2,000 books and pamphlets. Voltaire was one of the first authors to become renowned and commercially successful internationally. He was an outspoken advocate of civil liberties and was at constant risk from the strict censorship laws of the Catholic French monarchy. His polemics witheringly satirized intolerance and religious dogma, as well as the French in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
