Denis Diderot stands as the most dangerous mind of the French Enlightenment. He spent twenty years compiling the Encyclopédie, a massive book that aimed to contain all human knowledge. Consequently, the French government banned his work and threatened him with prison constantly. He challenged the church, the monarchy, and even the concept of art itself. Furthermore, his personal life remained just as chaotic as his philosophy. Prepare to open the book on the man who tried to know everything.
Denis Diderot
Empress Catherine the Great bought his library to pay his daughter’s dowry. Denis Diderot needed money to marry off his only surviving child. Therefore, the Russian ruler purchased his books but let him keep them in Paris. She effectively hired him as his own librarian.
He coined a term for consumerism called the “Diderot Effect.” It started when he received a beautiful scarlet dressing gown as a gift. Suddenly, his old furniture looked terrible next to the fancy robe. Consequently, he replaced everything he owned and ruined his finances.
He spent three months in prison for writing about blind people. His essay “Letter on the Blind” argued that our senses create our morality. The authorities saw this as a direct attack on God. Thus, they locked him in the dungeon at Vincennes.
Publishers censored his life’s work behind his back. He spent years editing the massive Encyclopédie. However, the publisher secretly cut out the most controversial parts to avoid arrest. Diderot only discovered the betrayal after the book was printed.
Denis Diderot invented the concept of the “fourth wall” in theater. Diderot argued that actors should imagine a wall between them and the audience. He believed this separation made the performance more realistic. Modern cinema and television still rely heavily on this idea.
His father disowned him for refusing to become a lawyer. His family wanted him to join the clergy or practice law. Instead, he chose to live a bohemian life as a writer. As a result, his father cut off his financial support completely.
He married a linen draper’s daughter in secret. He fell in love with Antoinette Champion and married her without his father’s permission. Unfortunately, the marriage eventually turned sour. Nevertheless, they remained together for the sake of their daughter.
His most famous novel was found in a trash pile. “Rameau’s Nephew” did not appear in print during his lifetime. In fact, a librarian discovered the manuscript in a used book bin over a century later.
Denis Diderot visited Russia to advise the Empress personally. At the age of sixty, he traveled all the way to St. Petersburg. He met with Catherine the Great daily to discuss philosophy. Reportedly, he slapped her leg in excitement during their debates.
He wrote over 7,000 articles for the Encyclopédie. He covered everything from philosophy to mechanical arts. He actually visited workshops to learn how tradesmen built things. Then, he described their tools and techniques in perfect detail.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau went from his best friend to his worst enemy. They met as struggling young writers in Paris. However, they grew apart as their philosophies diverged. Eventually, they attacked each other publicly in their writings.
He loved to break the fourth wall in his novels. In “Jacques the Fatalist,” the narrator constantly argues with the reader. He interrupts the story to ask questions. This technique predated postmodern literature by two centuries.
Denis Diderot used the “Riddle of the Egg” to challenge religious creation. He asked how an egg turns into a bird without a soul entering it. He used this simple biological process to argue for materialism. Thus, he claimed matter could organize itself without God.
Grave robbers likely stole his body. The church buried him in Saint-Roch in Paris. However, mobs desecrated the church tombs during the French Revolution. Consequently, no one knows where his remains lie today.
Finally, he died while eating a compote of cherries. His daughter tried to stop him from eating the rich fruit. He famously said, “What the devil, do you think this will kill me?” Then, he reached for a cherry and died instantly.
