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Sommaire
- La France du XVIIIe siècle vue par deux voyageurs persans ou la relativité des mœurs au service de la critique
- Roman et philosophie : une œuvre emblématique des Lumières
- Extrait : Lettre XXIV
- 📽 15 citations choisies de Montesquieu
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Lettres persanesest un roman épistolaire de Montesquieu, publié sans nom d’auteur en 1721. Au XVIIIe siècle, l’Orient et le goût des voyages sont à la mode. Cependant, le recueil était resté anonyme parce que cela permettait à l’auteur de critiquer la société française sans risquer la censure. Les Lettres persanes sont l’un des textes fondateurs de la littérature et de la pensée des Lumières.
→ Lire la biographie de Montesquieu.
La France du XVIIIe siècle vue par deux voyageurs persans ou la relativité des mœurs au service de la critique
Mars 1711. Usbek, riche Persan d’Ispahan, homme cultivé et possesseur d’un important sérail, décide, pour parfaire ses connaissances, de faire un voyage en Europe. Accompagné d’un ami plus jeune et sans attaches, Rica, il met près de quatorze mois à traverser la Turquie, puis la Méditerranée, et arrive à Paris en mai 1712. Le lecteur n’est averti des péripéties du voyage, puis des modalités du séjour (qui durera huit ans et demi) que par l’intermédiaire des lettres (161 en tout, datées de 1711 à 1720) que les deux Persans échangent entre eux ou avec leurs compatriotes, soit restés en Orient (femmes et eunuques du sérail d’Usbek, amis, dignitaires musulmans) soit eux-mêmes en résidence à Livourne, à Venise, en Moscovie. Il épouse ainsi le regard que des gens intelligents et curieux, mais non avertis, peuvent jeter sur tout ce qui lui semblait aller de soi : mœurs, coutumes, opinions, hiérarchies; et il prend conscience de leur caractère relatif, arbitraire, convenu, discutable, voire ridicule.
Comme Usbek est surtout préoccupé de théorie politique (il cherche à savoir quel est le meilleur gouvernement possible) et Rica de curiosités pratiques (il regarde vivre les Français et trouve de quoi s’étonner), l’orientation générale du roman est double : satirique et cocasse d’une part, et d’autre part réflexive et théorique. Double aussi l’intrigue, puisque, pendant cette longue absence du maître, le sérail d’Usbek connaît bien des vicissitudes ; ainsi la correspondance qui part de France nous met au fait des découvertes des deux voyageurs et des questions qu’elles leur posent, et celle qui vient de Perse nous fait assister aux efforts vains que, de loin, Usbek déploie pour maintenir l’ordre parmi ses femmes et l’obéissance parmi ses eunuques. Une double catastrophe clôt l’ouvrage : à Paris, c’est l’effondrement du « Système » bancaire de Law qui ruine l’économie, démoralise la société, compromet la remise en ordre politique entreprise par le Régent depuis 1715 ; à Ispahan, c’est la trahison de la favorite Roxane qui met le comble au désordre. Elle a le dernier mot du livre, annonçant à Usbek qu’elle a fait de son sérail un bain de sang, qu’elle se tue elle-même, et qu’elle reste à jamais ce qu’elle a toujours été en face de lui: libre.
Roman et philosophie : une œuvre emblématique des Lumières
L’extraordinaire succès remporté par le livre à sa publication, sa valeur de référence acquise depuis, sont dus à deux caractéristiques à première vue contradictoires : la verve sautillante de la revue drolatique qui fait défiler, sous l’œil amusé des Persans, individus, types et institutions de la société française, mille et une folies, inconséquences et inepties ; le caractère sérieux et philosophiquement armé de l’enquête politique (négativité des principes du despotisme, nécessaire laïcisation de la dimension religieuse, nouvelles finalités: équilibre des pouvoirs, progression démographique, liberté individuelle). Il faut dire que, pour la première fois en France, on présentait la question du gouvernement comme susceptible d’une approche rationnelle, non plus théologique mais scientifique. C’est déjà, si l’on veut, la démarche qui sera celle de De l’esprit des lois, vingt-sept ans après (1748).
La critique s’est partagée sur la part qu’il fallait faire, dans cette œuvre, à la fantaisie romanesque et à l’élaboration idéologique. Montesquieu a lui-même suggéré qu’une « chaîne secrète » reliait ces deux dimensions. Il est certain que ce jeune auteur de trente-deux ans a trouvé la formule idéale pour faire valoir ensemble le plaisir du jeu de massacre et l’intérêt d’un questionnement patient, méthodique, documenté sur ce que l’on peut appeler aujourd’hui, après Montesquieu et grâce à lui, une sociologie politique. L’exemple le plus célèbre de cette formule — qui devait rester, avec Les Provinciales de Blaise Pascal et les meilleures pages de Voltaire, l’un des modèles légendaires de la grande prose française — est l’apologue des Troglodytes qu’Usbek conte à son ami Mirza dans les lettres XI à XIV. Sous les dehors légers de la fable on y trouve la démarche expérimentale complète d’un peuple qui, après avoir éprouvé les méfaits de la violence anarchique, connaît les bienfaits de la fraternité et du partage « républicains», puis se laisse aller, par manque d’énergie morale, à souhaiter un pouvoir monarchique. L’apologue d’Usbek nous laisse au seuil de ce dernier essai, dont ceux qui avaient connu les dernières années du règne de Louis XIV pouvaient juger les résultats.
Extrait : Lettre XXIV
Annonce
Après plusieurs mois de voyage, Usbek et Rica sont enfin parvenus en France. La première lettre adressée de Paris est pleine de l’émerveillement des deux voyageurs. Le sujet de leur surprise sont ici les préoccupations de Montesquieu qui pointe du doigt les difficultés financières à la fin du règne de Louis XIV. L’innocence des deux « mahomettans» permet aussi de porter un regard critique sur l’omnipotence de l’Église et son emprise sur les esprits.
[…] Le roi de France est le plus puissant prince de l’Europe. Il n’a point de mines d’or comme le roi d’Espagne, son voisin ; mais il a plus de richesses que lui parce qu’il les tire de la vanité de ses sujets, plus inépuisable que les mines. On lui a vu entreprendre ou soutenir de grandes guerres, n’ayant d’autres fonds que des titres d’honneur à vendre, et par un prodige de l’orgueil humain, ses troupes se trouvaient payées; ses places, munies, et ses flottes, équipées.
D’ailleurs ce roi est un grand magicien : il exerce son empire sur l’esprit même de ses sujets; il les fait penser comme il veut. S’il n’a qu’un million d’écus dans son trésor, et qu’il en ait besoin de deux, il n’a qu’à leur persuader qu’un écu en vaut deux, et ils le croient. S’il a une guerre difficile à soutenir, et qu’il n’ait point d’argent, il n’a qu’à leur mettre dans la tête qu’un morceau de papier est de l’argent, et ils en sont aussitôt convaincus. Il va même jusqu’à leur faire croire qu’il les guérit de toutes sortes de maux en les touchant, tant est grande la force et la puissance qu’il a sur les esprits.
Ce que je te dis de ce prince ne doit pas t’étonner: il y a un autre magicien, plus fort que lui, qui n’est pas moins maître de son esprit qu’il l’est lui-même de celui des autres. Ce magicien s’appelle le Pape. Tantôt il lui fait croire que trois ne sont qu’un, que le pain qu’on mange n’est pas du pain, ou que le vin qu’on boit n’est pas du vin, et mille autres choses de cette espèce.
Et, pour le tenir toujours en haleine et ne point lui laisser perdre l’habitude de croire, il lui donne de temps en temps, pour l’exercer, de certains articles de croyance. Il y a deux ans qu’il lui envoya un grand écrit, qu’il appela Constitution, et voulut obliger sous de grandes peines, ce prince et ses sujets de croire tout ce qui y était contenu. Il réussit à l’égard du Prince, qui se soumit aussitôt et donna l’exemple à ses sujets. Mais quelques-uns d’entre eux se révoltèrent et dirent qu’ils ne voulaient rien croire de tout ce qui était dans cet écrit. Ce sont les femmes qui ont été motrices de toute cette révolte, qui divise toute la Cour, tout le Royaume et toutes les familles. Cette Constitution leur défend de lire un livre que tous les Chrétiens disent avoir été apporté du ciel : c’est proprement leur Alcoran. Les femmes, indignées de l’outrage fait à leur sexe, soulèvent tout contre la Constitution ; elles ont mis les hommes de leur parti, qui, dans cette occasion, ne veulent point avoir de privilège. On doit pourtant avouer que ce moufti ne raisonne pas mal, et, par le grand Hali, il faut qu’il ait été instruit des principes de notre sainte loi. Car, puisque les femmes sont d’une créature inférieure à la nôtre, et que nos prophètes nous disent qu’elles n’entreront point dans la Paradis, pourquoi faut-il qu’elles se mêlent de lire un livre qui n’est fait que pour apprendre le chemin du Paradis? […]
(Montesquieu, Lettres persanes, Paris, Librairie générale française, coll. « Livre de Poche », 1984)
📽 15 citations choisies de Montesquieu
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FAQs
What did Montesquieu publish in 1721? ›
In 1721 Montesquieu published Lettres persanes (Persian Letters, 1722), a brilliant satirical portrait of French, particularly Parisian, civilization, supposedly as seen through the eyes of two Persian travelers.
What point was Montesquieu trying to make in his Persian letters? ›In the Persian Letters, Montesquieu shows how the dehumanization that stems from patriarchy in a despotic system can permeate society at all levels, even down to a seraglio and the private interactions between a husband and wife.
How many Persian letters did Montesquieu write? ›A posthumous edition in 1758, prepared by Montesquieu's son, included eight new letters – bringing the total at that point to 161 – and a short piece by the author entitled "Quelques réflexions sur les Lettres persanes".
What was the message of the Persian letters? ›In The Persian Letters, he uses a fictional correspondence between two Persians to reflect on the meaning of government and social customs. He paid great attention to the treatment of women and the place of wives in society.
What were 3 of Montesquieu's ideas? ›In it, Montesquieu pleaded in favor of a constitutional system of government and the separation of powers, the ending of slavery, the preservation of civil liberties and the law, and the idea that political institutions ought to reflect the social and geographical aspects of each community.
What were the main ideas of Montesquieu? ›Montesquieu wrote that the main purpose of government is to maintain law and order, political liberty, and the property of the individual. Montesquieu opposed the absolute monarchy of his home country and favored the English system as the best model of government.
What is the summary of Persian letters by Montesquieu? ›About The Persian Letters
This richly evocative novel-in-letters tells the story of two Persian noblemen who have left their country—the modern Iran—to journey to Europe in search in wisdom. As they travel, they write home to wives and eunuchs in the harem and to friends in France and elsewhere.
“There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice.”
What idea did Montesquieu give in French Revolution? ›Montesquieu's writings attacked the feudalistic basis of French society. He argued as Locke and Thomas Jefferson that all people were created equal. If the King did not have the right to rule, then the people had the right to rebel which they did.
Why was the Persian Letters important? ›This pioneering epistolary novel and work of travel-writing opened the world of the West to its oriental visitors and the Orient to its Western readers. This is the first English translation based on the original text, revealing this lively work as Montesquieu first intended.
What was the original Persian alphabet? ›
Pahlavi alphabet, Pahlavi also spelled Pehlevi, writing system of the Persian people that dates from as early as the 2nd century bce, some scholars believe, and was in use until the advent of Islam (7th century ce).
What are 2 interesting facts about Montesquieu? ›He was a French judge, man of letters, historian, and political philosopher. He is the primary source of the separation of powers theory, which is used in many constitutions around the world. Montesquieu is also credited with doing more than any other author to establish the term “despotism” in the political lexicon.
What are 4 important Persian texts? ›Some of the famous works of classical Persian literature are the Shahnameh, the great Persian epic, by Ferdowsi (شاهنامه فردوسی), Bustan and Golestan by Sa'di (بوستان و گلستان سعدی), Masnavi-e-Ma'navi and Divan-e Shams by Rumi(مثنوی معنوی و دیوان شمس مولانا رومی), Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam (رباعیات عمر خیام), Divan-e ...
What is the Persian letter sin? ›The Persian letter 'sin' (س) is pronounced like as a soft 's', like at the end of the word 'glass' in English. When writing Persian it attaches both to letters that come before it, or after it.
Why did Montesquieu wrote the spirit of the laws? ›Montesquieu's aim in The Spirit of the Laws is to explain human laws and social institutions.
Why is Montesquieu important? ›He is the principal source of the theory of separation of powers, which is implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. He is also known for doing more than any other author to secure the place of the word despotism in the political lexicon.
What 2 ideas did Montesquieu support? ›Montesquieu's beliefs were often concerned with political and legal issues. He was an advocate for limited government, in which rulers were bound to follow laws. Montesquieu's philosophy also argued that power should be decentralized, and he thus introduced the idea of separation of powers.
What is the natural law of Montesquieu? ›Montesquieu grounds natural law in the desires of the human being as 'a feeling creature', thus establishing the normative force of desire and making right action attractive by engaging the passions rather than subordinating them to reason.
What was influenced by Montesquieu? ›Answer and Explanation: Baron de Montesquieu is best known for his book, L'esprit des lois, or The Spirit of Laws, published in 1748. In this work, he put forth his ideas about the separation of powers.
What are 2 quotes from Montesquieu? ›
A man should be mourned at his birth, not at his death. Liberty is the right of doing whatever the laws permit. The success of most things depends upon knowing how long it will take to succeed. Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.
How did Montesquieu influence the constitution? ›He conceived the idea of separating government authority into the three major branches: executive, legislative and judicial. This perspective significantly influenced the authors of the Constitution in establishing laws and division of duties, and also in the inclusion of provisions to preserve individual liberties.
What is Montesquieu separation of powers? ›Separation of Powers. The term “Separation of Powers” was coined by the 18th century philosopher Montesquieu. Separation of powers is a model that divides the government into separate branches, each of which has separate and independent powers.
How did Montesquieu influence the Declaration of Independence? ›The Declaration of Independence stated that the colonists wanted to be a free country, independent from England. Montesquieu saw the dangers of a government ruled by one person with all the power. Montesquieu wrote that power in government should be divided into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
What country is persanes? ›In modern Iran, the Persians make up the majority of the population. They are native speakers of the modern dialects of Persian, which serves as the country's official language.
Who created the Persian alphabet? ›The Persian alphabet is directly derived and developed from the Arabic alphabet. The Arabic Alphabet was introduced to the Persian-speaking world after the Muslim conquest of Persia and the fall of the Sasanian Empire in the 7th century.
What did Baron de Montesquieu write about in the spirit of the laws? ›The Spirit of Laws is Montesquieu's best known work in which he reflects on the influence of climate on society, the separation of political powers, and the need for checks on a powerful executive office.
Which is older Arabic or Persian? ›As for the question that which of them is older, then Persian takes the prize if we include the history of its earliest version. The Old Persian had been around since 550-330 BC until it transitioned into the Middle version of the tongue in 224 CE. Old Arabic, on the other hand, emerged in the 1st century CE.
Why is Persian called Persian? ›It originated in the region of Pars (Persia) in southwestern Iran. Its grammar is similar to that of many European languages.
Why is Persian called Farsi? ›Old Persian, by contrast, and its immediate descendant Middle Persian, originated in a province in southwest Iran that was once the center of the Persian Empire – Parsa or Fars, hence the contemporary Persian name of the language: Farsi.
Did Montesquieu believe in democracy? ›
Montesquieu believed that a government that was elected by the people was the best form of government. He did, however, believe that the success of a democracy - a government in which the people have the power - depended upon maintaining the right balance of power.
Was Montesquieu rich or poor? ›His wealthy and childless uncle had left Montesquieu a large fortune as well as his title and public office, and in 1715, he married a wealthy Protestant woman who came with a substantial dowry. Montesquieu's first work, the Persian Letters, caused a small uproar in Paris.
What is 13 in Persian culture? ›The number thirteen was a bad omen because it did not fall under the dominion of a goddess and a house. Persians believed that for this reason, they must leave their homes on the thirteenth and spend the day out in the open to avert misfortune.
What is the number 7 in Persian culture? ›Haft means seven in Persian, and seen is the name of the letter “s.” Seven is a lucky number, believed to have roots in the “Seven Eternal Laws” of Zarathushtra–good mind, ultimate truth, good guidance, lawful desire, perfection, immortality, wisdom*.
What is a Farsi Bible? ›The Persian/Farsi translation of the Bible called 'Old Persian Translation' is the result of different people's work in the early 19th century. In 1812, Henry Martyn with the help of Mirza Seyed Alikhane translated the New Testament from Greek and Psalms from Hebrew into Farsi in Shiraz/Iran.
Does letter V exist in Farsi? ›The letter 'vāv' (و) can be pronounced as either a consonant or a vowel, depending on the context. It can be read as either the consonant 'v' in the word 'over', or something close to the vowel in an English word like 'soup'.
What did Montesquieu think about human nature? ›Unlike Hobbes and Locke, Montesquieu believed that in the state of nature individuals were so fearful that they avoided violence and war. The need for food, Montesquieu said, caused the timid humans to associate with others and seek to live in a society.
What is the spirit behind the law? ›Defining The Spirit of The Law: A Social Norm Perspective
that must be followed according to governmental mandates or policies. In short, it is the law as it is written.
For Montesquieu, the rule of law means that the use of political power is subject to the formal constraint of standing rules that are codified in the positive laws of the land. It means that no one is above the law and that the actions of the state must conform in a consistent way to publicly known standards.
What did Charles Montesquieu publish in 1748? ›French political philosopher Montesquieu was best known for The Spirit of Laws (1748), one of the great works in the history of political theory and of jurisprudence.
When did Montesquieu publish his book? ›
In 1721, Montesquieu rose to national and international fame when he published his first work, Lettres Persanes (The Persian Letters), a critical commentary of European civilization, customs, and institutions from the point of view of three Persians traveling in Europe. Montesquieu continued to write until his death.
What books did Montesquieu write? ›Summary. Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu (1689-1755) was the author of the Persian Letters (1721), Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and of their Decline (1733), and of The Spirit of the Laws (1748).
Who was Montesquieu summary? ›Charles Louis Secondat, Baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu (1689-1755), whose name is usually shortened to Montesquieu, was a French philosopher and author, who is considered one of the founders of sociology as a scholarly discipline. He was among the most influential thinkers of the French Enlightenment.
How to cite Montesquieu? ›- MLA. Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, baron de, 1689-1755. The Spirit of Laws. London :Printed for J. ...
- APA. Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, baron de, 1689-1755. ( 1823). The spirit of laws. ...
- Chicago. Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, baron de, 1689-1755. The Spirit of Laws. London :Printed for J.
He also thought that women were weaker than men and that they had to obey the commands of their husbands. At the same time, he felt that the gentler nature of women could make them valuable decision makers and participants in government.
What was the important book by Montesquieu? ›The Spirit of the Laws—Montesquieu's huge, complex, and enormously influential work—is considered one of the central texts of the Enlightenment, laying the foundation for the liberally democratic political regimes that were to embody its values. In his penetrating analysis, Thomas L.
What is The Spirit of the Laws 1748? ›Montesquieu's greatest work, De l'esprit des lois (The Spirit of Laws), was published in 1748. It is a comparative study of three types of government: republic, monarchy, and despotism. Montesquieu held that governmental powers should be separated and balanced to guarantee individual rights and freedom.
How does Montesquieu affect us today? ›He conceived the idea of separating government authority into the three major branches: executive, legislative and judicial. This perspective significantly influenced the authors of the Constitution in establishing laws and division of duties, and also in the inclusion of provisions to preserve individual liberties.
What is the rule of law according to Montesquieu? ›For Montesquieu, the rule of law means that the use of political power is subject to the formal constraint of standing rules that are codified in the positive laws of the land. It means that no one is above the law and that the actions of the state must conform in a consistent way to publicly known standards.
How did Montesquieu define the three types of government? ›
According to Montesquieu, there were three types of government: a monarchy (ruled by a king or queen), a republic (ruled by an elected leader), and a despotism (ruled by a dictator). Montesquieu believed that a government that was elected by the people was the best form of government.
What influenced Montesquieu? ›