Zadig; or, The Book of Fate (French: Zadig ou la Destinée; 1747) is a novella and work of philosophical fiction by the Enlightenment writer Voltaire. It tells the story of Zadig, a Zoroastrian philosopher in ancient Babylonia. The story of Zadig is a fictional story. Voltaire does not attempt any …
Description
Zadig; or, The Book of Fate (French: Zadig ou la Destinée; 1747) is a novella and work of philosophical fiction by the Enlightenment writer Voltaire. It tells the story of Zadig, a Zoroastrian philosopher in ancient Babylonia. The story of Zadig is a fictional story. Voltaire does not attempt any historical accuracy. The singular narrative and unique journey of Zadig still stands as a philosophical reference to “nothing is either good or bad without the comparison of one with the other.” It was originally published as Memnon in Amsterdam (with a false imprint of London given) and first issued under its more familiar title in 1748. The book makes use of the Persian tale The Three Princes of Serendip. It is philosophical in nature, and presents human life as in the hands of a destiny beyond human control. Voltaire challenges religious and metaphysical orthodoxy with his presentation of the moral revolution taking place in Zadig himself. Zadig is one of Voltaire's most celebrated works after Candide. Many literary critics have praised Voltaire's use of contradiction and juxtaposition. The protagonist's name is derived from the Hebrew and Arabic terms tzadik and seddik, a title bestowed on a particularly righteous person – though Voltaire's character is not presented as a Jew and does not exactly fit the criteria set in Jewish tradition for use of the term. This combined with the geographic setting of Babylon indicates he is likely of Arabian descent.
External links
OpenLibraryIdentifiers
- LibraryThing key:
- 3708205
- BNF ID:
- 12100661g
Editions of Zadig ou la Destinée
Filters
Zadig or Destiny
134 pages
English language
Published Feb. 2, 2014
- ISBN:
- 978-1-4954-2206-5Copied ISBN!
Zadig et autres contes
190 pages
French language
Published Sept. 5, 2001 by Librairie générale française.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-253-09828-7Copied ISBN!
- Goodreads:
- 454438
Zadig
536 pages
French language
Published March 1, 1999 by Librairie générale française.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-253-01492-8Copied ISBN!
Zadig ou la Destinée
159 pages
French language
Published 1995 by Éditions Bordas.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-04-028169-4Copied ISBN!
- Goodreads:
- 2903041
Zadig ou La destinée
166 pages
French language
Published May 14, 1999 by Éditions Gallimard.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-07-040927-3Copied ISBN!
- Goodreads:
- 1382856
Zadig
168 pages
French language
Published Feb. 6, 1996 by Flammarion.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-08-072030-6Copied ISBN!
- Goodreads:
- 1208948
Zadig ou La destinée
231 pages
French language
Published 1993 by Éditions Larousse.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-03-871551-4Copied ISBN!
- Goodreads:
- 2137667
Zadig
191 pages
French language
Published July 15, 1993 by Hachette.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-01-020711-2Copied ISBN!
- Goodreads:
- 1665634
Zadig ou La destinee
189 pages
French language
Published Aug. 17, 2011 by Éditions Larousse.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-03-586602-8Copied ISBN!
Zadig ou La destinée : oriental et conte philosophique
189 pages
French language
Published Aug. 23, 2006 by Éditions Larousse.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-03-583207-8Copied ISBN!
- Goodreads:
- 1423477
Can't find the edition you're looking for?