Le Blanc et le Noir

Name: Le Blanc et le Noir
Author: Voltaire

By Voltaire

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French Literature

About This Book

Set in an exoticized eastern milieu, the narrative follows Rustan, a young noble who falls for a Kashmiri princess at a bustling fair and resolves to visit her. His two attendants, pale Topaze and dark-skinned Ébène, advise him in contrasting ways while Ébène secretly pawns the princess's diamond to fund the journey. Encounters with oracles, lost companions, comic misadventures including a stubborn striped donkey and a rhinoceros attack, and magical objects propel a picaresque journey that satirizes fortune, credulity, and social hierarchies, contrasting appearances and loyalties as events repeatedly upend expectations.

About the Author

Voltaire

Voltaire, born François-Marie Arouet in 1694, was a prominent French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher known for his wit and advocacy of civil liberties. His works often challenged the established norms of society and religion, making him a key figure in the development of modern thought. Among his most notable works is "Candide," a satirical novella that critiques optimism and explores the nature of human suffering. Voltaire's extensive writings, including his multi-volume "A Philosophical Dictionary," reflect his commitment to reason, tolerance, and freedom of expression, leaving a lasting impact on literature and philosophy.