PART THREE: IS THE PEN STILL MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: THE VOLTAIRE CONCLUSION: CALAS AFFAIR PAMPHLET By: Kimberly Thorn

 Part Three: Is the Pen Still Mightier than the Sword: The Voltaire Conclusion: Calas Affair Pamphlet By: Kimberly Thorn

After Jean Calas was executed, his family was saved from suffering the same fate, but they were punished, as well.  Pierre, their other son, was banished.  Madame Calas, Gaubert Lavayse (who was their guest and Pierre’s friend) and Jeanne Viguiere, who was their servant, were granted their freedom but the authorities never actually confirmed any of their innocence. Even though the Calas’s two daughters could not have had anything to do with the death, as they were not there, they were sent to convents. It seemed that the authorities as well as the public had their scapegoats, but the public wanted more punishment for the family (Davidson 320).

 Voltaire started out in his campaign to bring justice for the Calas family and to clear their good names by writing over 100 letters. His aim was to overturn the decision to clear the family’s good name. This problem he felt could be solved by three things that he could do. “Voltaire’s strategy for his Calas campaign developed on three fronts: delving into the facts of the trial, pulling strings with influential people at court and, finally, mobilizing public opinion,” (Davidson 322).