Persian Letters (Masterplots, Definitive Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Montesquieu
- First Published: 1721
- Type of Work: Satirical essays in letter form
- Time of Work: 1711-1721
- Setting: Paris, Smyrna, Venice, Ispahan
- Principal Characters: Usbek, Rica, Ibben, Rhedi, Zephis, Zachi, Zelis, Roxana, Solim, The Chief Black Eunuch
- Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Satire, Letters
- Subjects: France or French people, Social life, Paris, Eighteenth century, Christianity, Middle East, Iran or Iranian people
- Locales: Paris, France, Venice, Italy, Smyrna, Ispahan
In these 161 letters written by various fictional correspondents, Montesquieu gives a sharp picture of many facets of Parisian society and the customs of the early eighteenth century. The correspondence also reveals much of the thinking of the time on comparative religions.
Although the writing is in a formal mode in keeping with the status of the correspondents, Montesquieu’s tone and style never become stiff or artificial. The satire is by turns muted in the mellowness of friendly correspondence and proclaimed in the harshness of intentional criticism. Unlike many similar...
[The entire page is 1169 words long]
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