François-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, was a writer, philosopher, and historian born on November 21st, 1694. However, it is insisted by Voltaire, that his true birth date was February 20th, 1694, which arises questions about his birth. To add onto the mysteriousness of Voltaire’s upbringing, it was hinted by the writer that one of his father’s clients, Guerin de Rochebrune, was his true father. Regardless of the questions Voltaire brought up about his upbringing, it is recognized Voltaire, the fifth out of five surviving children that François Arouet—a minor official and lawyer raised Voltaire along with his wife, Marie-Marguerite Daumard who had aristocratic connections. Voltaire was also the fifth out of five surviving children. According to the University of Oxford, the total amount of texts Voltaire had written at death was 919. Though the writer, historian, and philosopher was born as François-Marie Arouet, he changed his name to Voltaire to show his rejection of his father’s values who had discouraged his literary aspirations.

What was not challenged by the Paris born writer was his education. Voltaire studied at the Jesuit Collège Louis-le-Grand from 1704 up to 1711. He was a strong and fearless writer who was not afraid to voice his opinions—particularly his offensive satire and incorporating vulgarization with irony when drawing comparisons between France and England. During his career as a student, Voltaire found himself appreciating literature, theater, and social life. However, what brought out his skepticism and rejection towards authority was his classes regarding religion. After college, Voltaire chose to go against the study of law and started a career as a secretary in the Frecn embassy in The Hague. When King Louis XIV passed away when under the time when the Regency relaxed morally, Voltaire stepped into the position as the wit of Parisian society and that’s when is epigrams were quoted widely. However, due to Voltaire’s mockery of duc d’Orleans, he found himself banished to Paris and imprisoned in Bastille for almost a year.

During the year of 1771, Voltaire was at the age of seventy-seven and passed away on May 30th, 1778 in his Paris home. Voltaire left the world with 20,000 letters and 49 plays written. He left a legacy where English translations regarding his philosophical, political essays along with the poems, short stories, and histories that was translated by Tobais Smollett, John Lockman, and Daid Hume, and Aaron Hill to name a few.