After his final attack on Shakespeare, the "Lettre de Monsieur de Voltaire a Messieurs de l'Academie francaise", Voltaire composed "Irene" as a demonstration of the supremacy of French theatre. Whereas he had previously failed to win Marie Antoinette's favour with his divertissement, "L'Hote et l'hotesse", "Irene" finally granted him a triumphant return to Paris shortly before his death. During the years 1776-1777, Voltaire continued his fight against serfdom in the Jura region through his "Supplique a M. Turgot", the "Lettre du reverend pere Polycarpe" and the "Lettre d'un benedictin de Franche-Comte", while his "Dialogue de Maxime de Madaure, entre Sophronime et Adelos" reveals a preoccupation with mortality at the close of his life.
- ISBN10 0729409880
- ISBN13 9780729409889
- Publish Date 15 September 2010
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Voltaire Foundation
- Edition Critical edition
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 422
- Language French
- URL http://voltaire.ox.ac.uk/book/writings-1776-1777