 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.

 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.

 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.

 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.

 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

 Johann Sebastian Bach  George Frederich Handel  Messiah

 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.

 Development of the novel  Daniel Defoe – Robinson Crusoe  Johnathan Swift – Gulliver’s Travels  Robert Louis Stevenson – Treasure Island

 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