Voltaire, "Simple": a brief summary

The Novel “Simple” is one of the most famous philosophical and satirical works of the great Voltaire, the largest of the philosopher-educator of 18th century France. For the first time the story was published in 1767 and soon, thanks to the great success, translated into many languages.

Voltaire, “Simple”: a brief summary. The plot

The yard was July 1689. One night in Lower Brittany on the beach walking the Abbe de Kermabon and his sister. The Abbot indulged in speculation about the fate of his brother and his family, who 20 years ago went from this shore to ship to Canada, and since they had no news.

At this very moment in the Bay part of the ship, approaching, and on the shore landed the young man. He is dressed in Indian clothes and appears to be Simple – so called him for the honesty and sincerity of friends-the British. The Abbot invites him to spend the night.

The Next day the young man, wishing to thank hospitable hosts, gives the talisman – a few portraits of the unknown Innocent people connected with lace. Among these images, the Abbot learns of his brother and his wife that went missing in Canada.

The Simple says that does not know his parents and raised by the Indians. De Kermabon and his sister be for boys aunt and uncle, since then he lives together with them.

The Simple did not know his parents and was raised by the Indians, the Hurons. Finding in the face of prior and his sister's loving uncle and aunt, the young man settles in their house.

St. Ives

A Moral and ideal, from the point of view of morality, creates a character Voltaire (“Simple”). The plot of a work intended to convince the reader that the behavior of the main character should be a reference for everyone.

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So, prior decides to baptize the Innocent. But first, you need to devote it to the foundations of a new religion. A young man reads the Bible and comprehends its meaning due to the absence of the influence of the educational society. Is the simple Church ceremony and falls in love with the cross of St Ives. They recognized each other in love, and the young man makes a proposal to the girl. But first you need to ask permission of the parents. The Abbot also explains Ingenuous, that to marry the godmother - is a sin. The young man says that this word is not mentioned in the Bible, like many other things, what is accepted in society and considered part of religious ceremonies.

Law society

Exposes the absurdities of his time, Voltaire. Simple-minded can not understand why living for many miles, the Pope should decide to marry him favorite or not. The young man believes that he must decide his fate. After that, he rushes to St. Ives and offers to marry him, as he promised, and anyway, it's his right. But others begin to explain that without the law, notaries and contracts there will be anarchy.

The Simple says that only dishonest people need such warnings. But he answered that the laws were invented just to be enlightened, and honest people. And if a person considers himself honest, he must humbly obey the rules, setting an example to others.

Native St. Ives decides to send the girl to the monastery, and then to give the unloved, but best fiance. On hearing this, the Simple anger and despair.

The British Invasion

Shows the collision of a society steeped in the vices, and the natural man, who grew up far from civilization, Voltaire (“Simple”). Brief summary helps you to understand how far society from moral and true values.

So Simple in despair, wanders along the shore. And then he sees the panic recedes detachment of French. It appears that the British squadron landed on the shore and prepares to attack the city. Innocent joins the battle and inflicts a wound to the Admiral of the enemy. Seeing his courage, and inspired the French soldiers and win. The city manages to save, and the Simple becomes famous.

In the heat of battle he wants to seize the monastery and to free his beloved. But it discouraged and advised to go to the king to Versailles and ask for a reward permission to marry. You will be able to challenge his right to marry.

The persecution of Protestants

Continuing the wanderings of the protagonist of “Innocent" (Voltaire). The content of the Chapter tells how he sets out to Versailles. His path runs through a small town. Here live the Protestants who have just been deprived of all rights and forcibly converted to Catholicism due to the cancellation of the edict of Nantes.

In tears, residents leave their hometown. Simple-minded can not understand why the king in favor of Pope refuses to 600 thousand loyal citizens and condemning them to wander and poverty. The young man comes to the conclusion that the blame for all the unworthy advisers and the Jesuits who surround the monarch. Otherwise what else could cause the ruler to appease his enemy the Pope?

The Simple vows exiles that as soon as you meet the king, tell him the truth. After learning the truth, the Governor will certainly help his people. Unfortunately, these words he hears the disguised Jesuit, working as an informant at father Lachaise, the Confessorking, who is the persecutor of Protestants.

Versailles

Exposes the main shortcomings of the French authorities, Voltaire. Simple arrives at Versailles at the same time with the denunciation of the Jesuits. The young man, naively, thought that as soon as you arrive, you will be able to see the king, tell of his exploits and to obtain as a reward permission to marry his beloved and open the eyes of the monarch to the true unfathomable plight of the Huguenots.

With great difficulty the Simple fails to get an audience with only a simple court official. He tells the hero that in his position he can only rely on the purchase to the rank of Lieutenant. The young man resents the fact that his also forced to pay for something that he risked his life for the glory of the crown. Hero berates the official and promises to tell about his stupidity to the king. From this monologue, the court concludes that his guest is crazy, so don't attach any significance to these words.

Father Lachaise in the same day receives two letters. First from the Jesuit, and the second from relatives of St. Ives, which are called Simple-minded troublemaker and a madcap, who pushed the soldiers to burn the monastery and steal the girl.

After these news soldiers receive orders to arrest the young man. A hero to come and, despite fierce resistance, sent to the Bastille. Here he gets in a cell with philosopher Jansenists Gordon.

Bastille

At the time, narrowly escaped imprisonment himself Voltaire. “Simple” (“Simpleton” in other translations) was intended to show how easily an honest man in France to be behind bars.

Father Gordon, a kind-hearted man, was in the Bastille without trial for refusing to recognize the unlimited power of the Pope in France. The old man during his long life accumulated a lot of knowledge, and the young man had a great interest in everything new. The conversation of the two prisoners is gradually becoming more entertaining and more instructive. But the sane and Innocent naivety often put the philosopher in a deadlock.

A Young man reading different historical books. From this he concludes that humanity throughout its existence continually commit only crimes. But after reading Malebranche, the hero realizes that everything around is just part of a huge mechanism, whose soul is God. Gradually the mind of the Simple strengthened, he mastered physics, mathematics, geometry.

The knowledge of the truth

Very great resonance in the society had a work that he wrote Voltaire. “Simple” is primarily a critique of sovereign power, but it can be easy to lose his head at the time.

The Arguments of the young student lead the old philosopher in horror. Gordon looks at him and realizes that his whole life was just engaged in strengthening prejudices, and his naive apprentice, listening to the voice of nature, was able to get to the truth much closer. Free from the illusory representations of the Simple realized that the most important human right-freedom. He says that the disputes of the scholastics empty and useless. God is all things, therefore, meaningless arguments of believers. Gordon realizes that his student is right, and gets depressed from realizing their mistakes. In the mouth of his hero have invested their own opinions about the nature of religion, Voltaire (“Simple”).

At the same time, St. Ives decides to go in search of his beloved and goes to Versailles.

Interchange

St. Ives escapes from under the crown and sent to the residence of the king. She desperately tries to get a meeting with various dignitaries, she soon discovers that her beloved is in the Bastille. Officials, which told that St. Ives, regrets that can do good in his position, otherwise he will lose her. But it suggests that we can help Minister de Saint-Poing. She receives an audience with that, but in exchange for the release of Innocent he wants to love St. Ives. Friends are pushing her to this sacrifice. And here Saint-Yves was forced to fall for the sake of a loved one.

The Simple liberation. But the girl is suffering because of his fall and dies from fever. Learning of the death of St. Ives, Poing repented.

It Takes time, which softens all. The simple becomes the officer to death keeps the memory of his beloved.

Voltaire, “Simple”: the analysis

A Distinctive feature of this work is that the philosopher not only expressed his opinion regarding the device state and the Church, but also paid great attention to the portrayal of feelings of main characters.

In this novel Voltaire was trying to find a balance between good and evil and to find a measure for this phenomenon. And they became human freedom, which was to provide the king. The freedom of the people generally at that time disturbed the Church, that is why the philosopher criticizes in her address.

In 1994, was filmed by “Simple" (Voltaire). The film is based, together the US, Russia and France. However, the audience the popularity he received.