In 1726, Voltaire repeatedly crossed paths with a petty-minded noble from a well-known family, the Duke of Rohan-Chabot, who taunted him about his recent change of name. “I am beginning mine; you are finishing yours,” the fiery young Voltaire is said to have replied. Infuriated, the young duke set a trap for him and had him beaten in the street. For Voltaire, it was a deep humiliation. He turned to his aristocratic friends, with whom he dined every evening, seeking their support in legal action. They made it clear that no one would stand by him. Voltaire raged, took fencing lessons, and shouted for vengeance in the streets of Paris. In a twist of irony, in order to protect the duke, it was Voltaire himself who ended up being imprisoned — the world turned upside down.

The government granted him exile. He departed for England, learned the language, and became enthralled by a country he regarded as far more advanced than France in terms of morals and government. Eventually, he returned to France and met Madame du Châtelet, a woman of science and strong character who would become the great love of his life. Together, at the Château de Cirey, they studied, wrote, and performed. She taught him a rigor and discipline in thinking that he had sometimes lacked. At war with the Church — and with all revealed religions — he acted cautiously, often disavowing his more polemical writings even as they appeared. In 1749, Madame du Châtelet died in childbirth, leaving Voltaire overwhelmed with grief.