François-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer and philosopher famous for his wit and advocacy for civil liberties. He was a prolific author of plays, poems, novels, and essays, often using satire to criticize the intolerance and religious dogma of the French state and the Catholic Church. His most famous novella, 'Candide,' is a satirical attack on the philosophy of optimism, suggesting that while the world is full of suffering, one must 'cultivate one's garden.' Voltaire was a vigorous defender of the freedom of speech and religion, famously influencing the thinkers of the French and American Revolutions. Despite being imprisoned and exiled several times for his controversial writings, his commitment to reason and human rights made him a defining figure of the Age of Enlightenment.