If the pen be mightier than the sword, to the sparkling wit and gnawing sarcasm of Voltaire goes the credit of struggling to create a free spirit of the French Revolution much before its time. Often referred to as the conscience of the age of enlightenment, Voltaire strove to rip open the prejudices, the hypocrisies and the vanities of his age with his skillful penmanship. Like all libertines, his life was checkered with high and lows. From the plethora of rich varied experience and with an eye to see what is beyond, Voltaire''s writings created a sensation in Europe and earned him the nickname of "Vive Voltaire" in France.

Francois Marie Arouet De Voltaire was the youngest boy of the Notary Arouet. He was born in Paris in 1694 with a disposition so weak and unsure that hardly anyone expected the child to live. But the baby survived. It was destined to life of distinction by the clever use of his intellectual faculties. Amongst the men of letters of his time, the crown would unsurpassingly belong to none other than Voltaire.

At the age of three Voltaire could recite the whole of La Fontaine''s fables. His godfather the Abbes de Chateauneuf had a great influence on the boy. The Abbe''s unconventional views and his unorthodox beliefs introduced Voltaire to the world of free thought. The Mosaide an agnostic poem, Voltaire learnt early and much of his later work was written in the same strain. Voltaire''s battle with orthodox religion began early and he never laid down the cudgels to rest.

Voltaire attended the Jesuit school where he excelled. His intelligence and quick wit won him admiration and it was a severe blow to his father when Voltaire declined a profession in law. He opted instead to be a man of letters. His father''s desire to procure him a post as a royal advocate was declined with a polite rejoinder, "I will make a position for my self that costs nothing."

Under the chartered direction of his godfather Voltaire was introduced to the halls of royalty. Here he displayed his talent by writing epigrams, lampoons and later drama. His first tragedy, Oedipus was quite a success. The year was 1715 and Louis XIV was dead. France under the reign of Louis XV was far from a free spirited society. Oedipus was peppered with scathing allusions to tyranny and bigotry. This bold criticism of the Regent''s libertine lifestyle brought Voltaire behind bars. He was thrown in the Bastille for 11 months. He was released just in time for the premiere of Oedipus. It broke box office records at the Comedies Franchise. At 24, Voltaire was famous.

Next Voltaire wrote his long epic on Henri IV, entitled Hayride. The permission for the publication of the poem was not granted for it dealt with the subject of Protestantism and religious tolerance.

In the French elite Voltaire soon gained reputation of the rapier wit. Though not bestowed with physical beauty, he charmed the girls and courtly ladies alike. They hung on to every word he said, His passion for the actress Adrienne Lecouvreur, brought him face to face with a rival – the Chevalier de Rogan, scion of one of France''s noblest families. The latter scoffing at the commonness of Voltaire''s lineage said, "Monsieur Arouet? Monsieur Voltaire? What really is your name ? " Quick to take an insult Voltaire replied, "Voltaire. I''m the first of my line as you are the last of yours!." After a surprise confrontation with the Rogan''s lackeys, Voltaire challenged him to a duel. A royalist could hardly fight a commoners Voltaire soon found himself midst the high walls of the Bastille once more. He was released only to be exiled to England.

England''s free air opened new vistas before him and Voltaire found himself enthralled by the glitterati of the literary world. Swift, Pope, Congreve and a host of others were now acquaintances with whom he exchanged ideas and thoughts. The English toleration and respect for freedom was refreshing change for Voltaire. Ideas of Bolingbroke and other deists had a great impact on Voltaire. He dedicated an edition of Hayride to Queen Caroline and wrote the History of Charles XII. He became the first French writer to speak English fluently and first to translate Shakespeare.

On reaching Paris in 1729, Voltaire found himself once again at daggers end with the Establishment. The question was once again ethical. Adrienne Lecouvreur, mortally ill but playing in a Voltaire tragedy to the last, died in the author''s arms. In accordance with the church practices which looked down on the theatre, her body was secretly taken to a common burial place. This incensed Voltaire, whose recent visit to England had made him aware of the honors the actors and actress deserved and must receive. He penned an Ode to his dishonored mistress and then wrote the English Letters which praised Britain over France society and in 1734 the work was burnt by a public executioner and a warrant issued for Voltaire''s arrest. Voltaire eluding the police found refuge in an admirer Emile Masques due Chat let at her chateau in Champagne. The Marquise though eleven years his junior and married without children, shared a great love of the theater with Voltaire. She also an avid student of astronomy, chemistry and philosophy. She helped to develop Voltaire''s interest in these subjects. There grew to be a mutual relationship based on love and friendship between the two. But the lovers broke up when Madame due Chat let''s attention was taken up by the more charming Saint Lambert. She soon died after giving birth to a little girl and Voltaire was beside himself with grief.

At this time he was invited by King Fredrick of Prussia. Voltaire was happy there for a while until his blunt and brazen tongue got him once again into trouble. His merciless criticism of the unscrupulous, avaricious tyranny of the King made him an unwelcome guest Voltaire in disgust described his task of correcting Frederick''s poem''s as "washing the King''s dirty linen."

Voltaire soon found himself without a place or a patron. His return to Paris was unimaginable because his liaison with King Fredrick of Prussia, automatically made him a member of the enemy camp in Paris. Voltaire brought the estate of Fernery, near the Swiss frontier. It enabled him to skip across to his residence of Le Deciles (now a Voltaire museum), near Geneva when his controversial pen aroused anger of the French authorities.

At Fernery his practical creativity found an outlet. He created a model and farms. He developed scientific methods of reforestation, imported silkworms and started a watch factory. It was a mini utopia where Protestants and Catholics lived in harmony. Voltaire''s business acumen made him find clients for his watches in Catherine of Russia and Sultan of Turkey. He devoted his vitriolic pen to particular causes. Through concrete effort he was able to vindicate Jean Colas after his frightful torture and execution for the alleged murder of his son. He prevented the Chevalier de la Barer from being burned alive. Voltaire in all his sincerity stove to mitigate the harsh criminal laws.

The years at Forney were the most productive for Voltaire. At Forney he wrote Candied, the work that ranked him as a genius of irony and mature introspection. The work stands unsurpassed even today among the classics of world literature. This success opened the portals of happiness for Voltaire once again. He regained the lost friendship of Frederick and France once again opened her arms to welcome him.
At the age of eighty three, on completing the tragedy Irene, he returned to his beloved Paris to view the performance. At the Comedies Francoise the gala performance of Irene, the theater thundered and roared with applause and "Vive Voltaire" resonated through the walls. An actor placed a laurel wreath on the wizened head and the playwright with tears streaming down his face said, "Do you wish me to die of glory?" The captivated audience looked on and paused as they witnessed on of the most precious moments in literary history.

Two months after the triumphal coronations, wreaths and laurels, on May 30, 1778, Voltaire passed away midst friends and admirers who viewed for a last glance of this legendary mind. It was in Voltaire''s valuable work that France first heard the notes of liberty, equality and fraternity. France recognized its indebtedness and paid a great tribute to him with the inscription on the tomb that read: " He taught us how to became free".