MORE ON THE ENLIGHTENMENT

Today we will…

Identify why ideas were censored during the Enlightenment.

Discuss the importance of salons during the Enlightenment.

Analyze the Enlightenment’s effect on music and literature.

Discuss which monarchs were considered Enlightened Despots.

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet better known

by the pen name Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion and free trade.

“I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

A staunch critic of the Roman Catholic church – he felt organized religion perpetuated ignorance and superstition.

Escrasez la Infame – Crush the horrible thing

Candide – THE BOOK of the enlightment. Because he criticized the church, he was

denied a Christian burial.

Censorship of Ideas

Most rulers and church officials felt they had a sacred duty to defend the old order.

They wanted to stop the spread of Enlightenment ideas.

They burned books and banned books.

To avoid censorship, writers like Montesquieu and Voltaire disguised their ideas in works of fiction.

Voltaire wrote Candide who travels across Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Voltaire uses this tale to expose the corruption and hypocrisy of European society.

Paris Salons

These were gatherings organized by wealthy women held in large drawing rooms in their homes.

They were used to help philosophes avoid trouble with authorities, discuss politics, philosophy, and current issues.

These discussions allowed writers greater freedom to spread their words.

More on Salons

Enlightened thinkers considered themselves part of an intellectual community.

Women participated along with the men and their ideas were valued.

As hostesses of salons, women found that they were in a position to affect the decisions of kings, sway political opinion, and influence literary and artistic tastes.

Salons were highly competitive and the reputation of the salon depended on its ability to attract the top male minds.

The best salons were run by Madame Geoffrin and the Marquise du Deffand

Enlightenment’s Impact on Music

Johann Sebastian Bach

George Frederich Handel Messiah

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wrote his first opera at 12

The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, and Don Giovanni are 3 of the world’s greatest operas.

He composed over 600 pieces of music.

He died a debt ridden pauper at the age of 35.

Enlightenment’s Impact on Literature Development of the

novel Daniel Defoe – Robinson

Crusoe Johnathan Swift –

Gulliver’s Travels Robert Louis Stevenson

– Treasure Island

Enlightened Despots

An Enlightened Despot is a king or queen who ruled by the ideas of the Enlightenment.

Some examples of Enlightened Despots are: Joseph II –Austria, Catherine the Great – Russia, and Frederick the Great – Prussia.

Joseph II

Catherine the Great

Frederick the Great