— Ch. 1 · A Dedication To Henry —
Henriade.
~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
Voltaire wrote the Henriade in 1723 to honor the life of Henry IV of France. The poem celebrates a king who would soon become Henry IV after being known as Henry of Navarre. Its ostensible subject is the siege of Paris in 1589 by Henry III and Henry of Navarre. Voltaire aimed to be the French Virgil outdoing the master by preserving Aristotelian unity of place. He kept human action confined between Paris and Ivry. This property belongs to classical tragedy rather than epic poetry. The themes address religious fanaticism and civil discord during the French Wars of Religion. Voltaire also concerned himself with the political state of France at that time.
Ten Chants And Verse
The poem consists of ten chants or cantos divided into two major parts. The first part remains strictly from an historical point of view with factual material only. The second part loosens its factual integrity and draws more strongly from Voltaire's imagination. These fictions relate mostly to Henry IV and draw from regions of the marvelous. They include predictions of Henry's conversion and protection given by Saint Louis. The apparition of saints and fire from Heaven destroying magical performances appear within these sections. Voltaire stated various other sections were purely allegorical like the voyage of Discord to Rome. Politics and Fanaticism personified appear alongside temples of Love and Passions. The poem uses a reformed styling of the twelve-syllable alexandrine couplet. Some commentators remarked this rhythm was unsuited to the content and theme of the poem. O. R. Taylor noted the poem rarely touches the sensibility of the modern reader in his 1965 introduction.Discord In Paris
The sky over Paris turned dark as armies gathered for the siege of 1589. A young soldier named Henry stood atop the walls watching the chaos unfold below him. Discord walked through the streets whispering lies to frightened citizens who clutched their rosaries tight. Fanaticism appeared as a shadowy figure leading mobs toward the gates of the city. The temple of Love stood silent while passions raged unchecked among the populace. Vices danced in the shadows of the burning buildings that lined the river Seine. Saint Louis appeared in a vision to protect Henry from harm during the night. Fire from Heaven descended upon those performing magical rituals in the square. The people screamed as the flames consumed their homes and their hopes for peace vanished with the smoke.