Voltaire Voltaire was born in Paris, France in 1694 to the name of François Marie Arouet. Voltaire was the son of a notary and he was educated at the Jesuit College Louis-le-Grand. During his life Voltaire was unjustly imprisoned two times. One time from 1717 to 1718 he was sent to the Bastillle for insults to the regent, Philippe II d’Orléans, which were wrongly ascribed to him. The second time he was punished was in 1726. …showed first 75 words of 395 total…

…showed last 75 words of 395 total…most of them writing novels and collecting his thoughts. His style of writing was to put forth his idea and to use some subtle comedy in the process. In 1758 Voltaire purchased Ferney, which was his estate. He lived here until shortly before his death. In 1778 he was attending the first performance of his tragedy Iréne, in Paris, and the emotion of the situation was just too much for him and he died shortly afterward.