What do you think?
Rate this book
Zadig suivi de Micromégas
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1752
8 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Voltaire
9,432 books4,946 followersComplete works (1880) : https://archive.org/details/oeuvresco...
In 1694, Age of Enlightenment leader Francois-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, was born in Paris. Jesuit-educated, he began writing clever verses by the age of 12. He launched a lifelong, successful playwriting career in 1718, interrupted by imprisonment in the Bastille. Upon a second imprisonment, in which Francois adopted the pen name Voltaire, he was released after agreeing to move to London. There he wrote Lettres philosophiques (1733), which galvanized French reform. The book also satirized the religious teachings of Rene Descartes and Blaise Pascal, including Pascal's famed "wager" on God. Voltaire wrote: "The interest I have in believing a thing is not a proof of the existence of that thing." Voltaire's French publisher was sent to the Bastille and Voltaire had to escape from Paris again, as judges sentenced the book to be "torn and burned in the Palace." Voltaire spent a calm 16 years with his deistic mistress, Madame du Chatelet, in Lorraine. He met the 27 year old married mother when he was 39. In his memoirs, he wrote: "I found, in 1733, a young woman who thought as I did, and decided to spend several years in the country, cultivating her mind." He dedicated Traite de metaphysique to her. In it the Deist candidly rejected immortality and questioned belief in God. It was not published until the 1780s. Voltaire continued writing amusing but meaty philosophical plays and histories. After the earthquake that leveled Lisbon in 1755, in which 15,000 people perished and another 15,000 were wounded, Voltaire wrote Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne (Poem on the Lisbon Disaster): "But how conceive a God supremely good/ Who heaps his favours on the sons he loves,/ Yet scatters evil with as large a hand?"
Voltaire purchased a chateau in Geneva, where, among other works, he wrote Candide (1759). To avoid Calvinist persecution, Voltaire moved across the border to Ferney, where the wealthy writer lived for 18 years until his death. Voltaire began to openly challenge Christianity, calling it "the infamous thing." He wrote Frederick the Great: "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd, and bloody religion that has ever infected the world." Voltaire ended every letter to friends with "Ecrasez l'infame" (crush the infamy — the Christian religion). His pamphlet, The Sermon on the Fifty (1762) went after transubstantiation, miracles, biblical contradictions, the Jewish religion, and the Christian God. Voltaire wrote that a true god "surely cannot have been born of a girl, nor died on the gibbet, nor be eaten in a piece of dough," or inspired "books, filled with contradictions, madness, and horror." He also published excerpts of Testament of the Abbe Meslier, by an atheist priest, in Holland, which advanced the Enlightenment. Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary was published in 1764 without his name. Although the first edition immediately sold out, Geneva officials, followed by Dutch and Parisian, had the books burned. It was published in 1769 as two large volumes. Voltaire campaigned fiercely against civil atrocities in the name of religion, writing pamphlets and commentaries about the barbaric execution of a Huguenot trader, who was first broken at the wheel, then burned at the stake, in 1762. Voltaire's campaign for justice and restitution ended with a posthumous retrial in 1765, during which 40 Parisian judges declared the defendant innocent. Voltaire urgently tried to save the life of Chevalier de la Barre, a 19 year old sentenced to death for blasphemy for failing to remove his hat during a religious procession. In 1766, Chevalier was beheaded after being tortured, then his body was burned, along with a copy of Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary. Voltaire's statue at the Pantheon was melted down during Nazi occupation. D. 1778.
Voltaire (1694-1778), pseudónimo de François-
In 1694, Age of Enlightenment leader Francois-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, was born in Paris. Jesuit-educated, he began writing clever verses by the age of 12. He launched a lifelong, successful playwriting career in 1718, interrupted by imprisonment in the Bastille. Upon a second imprisonment, in which Francois adopted the pen name Voltaire, he was released after agreeing to move to London. There he wrote Lettres philosophiques (1733), which galvanized French reform. The book also satirized the religious teachings of Rene Descartes and Blaise Pascal, including Pascal's famed "wager" on God. Voltaire wrote: "The interest I have in believing a thing is not a proof of the existence of that thing." Voltaire's French publisher was sent to the Bastille and Voltaire had to escape from Paris again, as judges sentenced the book to be "torn and burned in the Palace." Voltaire spent a calm 16 years with his deistic mistress, Madame du Chatelet, in Lorraine. He met the 27 year old married mother when he was 39. In his memoirs, he wrote: "I found, in 1733, a young woman who thought as I did, and decided to spend several years in the country, cultivating her mind." He dedicated Traite de metaphysique to her. In it the Deist candidly rejected immortality and questioned belief in God. It was not published until the 1780s. Voltaire continued writing amusing but meaty philosophical plays and histories. After the earthquake that leveled Lisbon in 1755, in which 15,000 people perished and another 15,000 were wounded, Voltaire wrote Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne (Poem on the Lisbon Disaster): "But how conceive a God supremely good/ Who heaps his favours on the sons he loves,/ Yet scatters evil with as large a hand?"
Voltaire purchased a chateau in Geneva, where, among other works, he wrote Candide (1759). To avoid Calvinist persecution, Voltaire moved across the border to Ferney, where the wealthy writer lived for 18 years until his death. Voltaire began to openly challenge Christianity, calling it "the infamous thing." He wrote Frederick the Great: "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd, and bloody religion that has ever infected the world." Voltaire ended every letter to friends with "Ecrasez l'infame" (crush the infamy — the Christian religion). His pamphlet, The Sermon on the Fifty (1762) went after transubstantiation, miracles, biblical contradictions, the Jewish religion, and the Christian God. Voltaire wrote that a true god "surely cannot have been born of a girl, nor died on the gibbet, nor be eaten in a piece of dough," or inspired "books, filled with contradictions, madness, and horror." He also published excerpts of Testament of the Abbe Meslier, by an atheist priest, in Holland, which advanced the Enlightenment. Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary was published in 1764 without his name. Although the first edition immediately sold out, Geneva officials, followed by Dutch and Parisian, had the books burned. It was published in 1769 as two large volumes. Voltaire campaigned fiercely against civil atrocities in the name of religion, writing pamphlets and commentaries about the barbaric execution of a Huguenot trader, who was first broken at the wheel, then burned at the stake, in 1762. Voltaire's campaign for justice and restitution ended with a posthumous retrial in 1765, during which 40 Parisian judges declared the defendant innocent. Voltaire urgently tried to save the life of Chevalier de la Barre, a 19 year old sentenced to death for blasphemy for failing to remove his hat during a religious procession. In 1766, Chevalier was beheaded after being tortured, then his body was burned, along with a copy of Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary. Voltaire's statue at the Pantheon was melted down during Nazi occupation. D. 1778.
Voltaire (1694-1778), pseudónimo de François-
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 24, 2023
C'était long et répétitif
April 11, 2019
Ce livre fut une merveilleuse surprise. Je ne connaissais Voltaire que grâce à Candide que j'avais dû lire en seconde, et je l'avais tout bonnement détesté. Bien sûr c'est très intelligent et marqué par les principes forts des Lumières, mais je pense l'avoir lu trop tôt et je n'en ai vraiment pas gardé un bon souvenir. Aussi, on peut dire que j'avais une opinion plutôt négative de cet auteur, en grande partie dû à une mauvaise foi de ma part, je dois bien l'avouer. Pourtant, la rencontre avec une grande fan de Voltaire m'a incitée à lui laisser une seconde chance, et l'on peut dire que j'ai bien fait.
J'ai commencé ma lecture avec Micromégas, qui était excellent. Je ne sais pas quel autre adjectif pourrait mieux décrire ce conte : la satire est omniprésente, mais elle semble amenée avec bon cœur, contrairement aux souvenirs que j'ai gardé de Candide.
Sur cette excellente première impression, j'ai enchainé avec la lecture de Zadig. Encore une fois, je n'ai pas été déçue. Bien au contraire, j'ai été très agréablement surprise. Ce conte se rapproche plus de Candide par sa forme, mais le tout est fait de manière particulièrement intelligente. Si l'on ne peut ôter une chose à Voltaire, c'est bien son génie satirique.
Aussi, après ces deux lectures, je suis prête à revoir mes préjugés sur cet auteur et, qui sait, peut-être un jour relire Candide…
J'ai commencé ma lecture avec Micromégas, qui était excellent. Je ne sais pas quel autre adjectif pourrait mieux décrire ce conte : la satire est omniprésente, mais elle semble amenée avec bon cœur, contrairement aux souvenirs que j'ai gardé de Candide.
Sur cette excellente première impression, j'ai enchainé avec la lecture de Zadig. Encore une fois, je n'ai pas été déçue. Bien au contraire, j'ai été très agréablement surprise. Ce conte se rapproche plus de Candide par sa forme, mais le tout est fait de manière particulièrement intelligente. Si l'on ne peut ôter une chose à Voltaire, c'est bien son génie satirique.
Aussi, après ces deux lectures, je suis prête à revoir mes préjugés sur cet auteur et, qui sait, peut-être un jour relire Candide…
November 22, 2017
I read this book as part of my work to improve the speed and comprehension of my French reading.
One of the main pluses from thus perspective is the short length of the book and it's chapters! In addition, despite being written several hundred years ago, the grammar and vocabulary are fairly simple and straightforward.
The story is a fable and full of amusing episodes. I preferred this story to l'ingenue which I read previously, although neither quite live up to Candide.
One of the main pluses from thus perspective is the short length of the book and it's chapters! In addition, despite being written several hundred years ago, the grammar and vocabulary are fairly simple and straightforward.
The story is a fable and full of amusing episodes. I preferred this story to l'ingenue which I read previously, although neither quite live up to Candide.
September 14, 2024
Voltaire aimait écrire sur la perfection et la naïveté humaine.
Zadig nous démontre qu'il ne faut pas trop montrer son intelligence, elle éveille les jalousies et finit par créer des ennuis. Même s'il s'en sort toujours, il aimerait éviter toutes les galères.
En même temps, il est très intelligent mais également très imbu de sa personne, ça n'aide pas.
Je recommande ce classique, il est toujours intéressant de comparer les points de vue de différents siècles.
Zadig nous démontre qu'il ne faut pas trop montrer son intelligence, elle éveille les jalousies et finit par créer des ennuis. Même s'il s'en sort toujours, il aimerait éviter toutes les galères.
En même temps, il est très intelligent mais également très imbu de sa personne, ça n'aide pas.
Je recommande ce classique, il est toujours intéressant de comparer les points de vue de différents siècles.
January 4, 2021
Micromegas est un conte philosophique à lire lentement. Il faut prendre le temps de faire un peu de recherche à propos de ce que Voltaire critique de la société de son époque afin de parfaitement en apprécier la lecture. C'est vraiment bien écrit et la rencontre des deux géants avec l'Homme fait vraiment réfléchir à la place de l'être humain dans l'univers. Quel merveilleux conte!!!
August 29, 2024
À la lumière de sa préface sur Zadig, Voltaire ne semble pas porter beaucoup dans son cœur Les Mille et une Nuits de la légendaire Shéhérazade.
Le contraire aurait sans doute atténué le caractère sulfureux de celui qui est considéré comme LE représentant du XVIIIe siècle français. Ce conte sera donc l’occasion pour le vilain petit canard de montrer qu’il peut lui aussi livrer une croisade littéraire sur la gente orientale.
Si Candide, écrit bien plus tard, reflète une pensée désabusée d’un monde voué au ridicule, Zadig correspond aux années vertes de Voltaire. Son Babylonien éponyme, sage fort philosophe ou philosophe fort sage, assemble si bien ses phrases et manipule si bien ses mots que cela le met bien souvent malgré lui dans de fâcheuses situations. La faute, bien sûr, revenant à des quidams largement peu éduqués ou globalement peu scrupuleux. Surtout dans les hautes sphères où les coups de poignard dans le dos sont légion.
Suite sur le blog
Le contraire aurait sans doute atténué le caractère sulfureux de celui qui est considéré comme LE représentant du XVIIIe siècle français. Ce conte sera donc l’occasion pour le vilain petit canard de montrer qu’il peut lui aussi livrer une croisade littéraire sur la gente orientale.
Si Candide, écrit bien plus tard, reflète une pensée désabusée d’un monde voué au ridicule, Zadig correspond aux années vertes de Voltaire. Son Babylonien éponyme, sage fort philosophe ou philosophe fort sage, assemble si bien ses phrases et manipule si bien ses mots que cela le met bien souvent malgré lui dans de fâcheuses situations. La faute, bien sûr, revenant à des quidams largement peu éduqués ou globalement peu scrupuleux. Surtout dans les hautes sphères où les coups de poignard dans le dos sont légion.
Suite sur le blog
March 10, 2019
Voltaire ne cesse pas d'être Volatire. Better than any other author I've read, he manages to puncture the self-importance and absurdity that is so often a feature of humanity, but he does so in a way that light, fun, funny, and entertaining. I literally laughed out loud at points, especially while reading Micromégas. The unfamiliar circumstances of the plots of both works give the reader the kind of critical distance that is, for most of us, necessary to being able to appreciate a satire that is ultimately about ourselves. "Quid rides?" Horace once wrote, "de te fabula narratur." Quite so. But Volatire's treatment of the subjects at hand are not mean or bitter or angry, although one may well imagine something similar to those feelings being at the root of their conception. Nevertheless, he makes his points with such a light touch that his moral lessons are never boring or ponderous, while losing nothing of their thoroughness and pertinence. And thanks the apparent inability for our species to ever really learn anything, his work is as relevant today as it was when it was written.
April 5, 2018
On vous fait étudier Candide au Lycée, mais pourquoi ne vous engage-t-on pas à lire Zadig ? C'est brillant, enlevé, drôle et parfois cruel : du grand Voltaire... dans un Orient de fantaisie, Zadig est jeune, beau, intelligent, juste et cultivé ; et avec ça pas condescendant, et bienveillant avec l'humanité et ses petites imperfections. Eh bien sa vie, sa destinée, ne sera qu'une suite de malheurs, à cause de la jalousie, de la mesquinerie, de la sottise de l'humanité. Heureusement on est distraits de ce triste constat par le rythme échevelé, et souvent la drôlerie de ses aventures. La scène où Zadig décrit le cheval du sultan et la chienne de la sultane d'après leurs traces qu'il a vues, tout en précisant ne pas les avoir aperçus, est excellente. La rencontre avec l'ange Jesrad est transcendante. Le conte "Micromégas" qui suit, a caractère philosophique plus marqué, est passionnant aussi. Décidément, il n'y a qu'un Voltaire...
July 8, 2014
Favourite quote, Zadig:
On parla des passions. "Ah! qu'elles sont funestes! disait Zadig. - Ce sont les vents qui enflent les voiles du vaisseau, repartit l'ermite: elles le submergent quelquefois; mais sans elles il ne pourrait voguer. La bile rend colère et malade; mais sans la bile l'homme ne saurait vivre. Tout est dangereux ici-bas, et tout est nécessaire."
Favourite quote, Micromégas:
"Je révère la puissance éternelle, il ne m'appartient pas de la borner; je n'affirmer rien, je me contente de croire qu'il y a plus de choses possibles qu'on ne pense."
On parla des passions. "Ah! qu'elles sont funestes! disait Zadig. - Ce sont les vents qui enflent les voiles du vaisseau, repartit l'ermite: elles le submergent quelquefois; mais sans elles il ne pourrait voguer. La bile rend colère et malade; mais sans la bile l'homme ne saurait vivre. Tout est dangereux ici-bas, et tout est nécessaire."
Favourite quote, Micromégas:
"Je révère la puissance éternelle, il ne m'appartient pas de la borner; je n'affirmer rien, je me contente de croire qu'il y a plus de choses possibles qu'on ne pense."
August 25, 2007
I'm already partial to anything written by Voltaire os this is going to be a good review. I mean, it's got everything you could want for; fights, Orientalism, philosophical bouts, mystery and magic, rationalism, ideas from the French Enlightenment, a jousting tournament to predict the best suited for role of king, duplicity, an angel called Jesrad who guides everyone's destiny, and lots and lots of wittiness! Wonderful! It's available in French and English for those interested
August 6, 2012
Les raisonnements sur un nombre impressionnant de philosophies et l'humour de Voltaine m'ont séduit. Il m'a rappelé mes propres réflexions qui s'étaient aussi terminées par la métaphore d'un livre tout blanc ; à une différence près, ma version contenant un seul et unique mot, vivre. Voilà une belle leçon faite à l'humanité et surtout, à ses croyances qui se ferment trop souvent au réel possible.
October 23, 2010
Zadig, un des Voltaire les plus rafraichissant!
July 13, 2011
Etudie en class en 1e pour le bac.
June 9, 2016
Very allegorically entertaining for atheists, science fiction lovers, satire lovers and Gulliver's fans.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews