Term Paper on Persian Letters by
Montesquieu
Charles
de Secondat Montesquieu like other Enlightenment philosophers was less
restricted by conservative boundaries, and he studied science, history,
philosophy, and literature. The Persian Letters (Lettres Persanes) was
Montesquieu's first published work. Persian Letters mainly describe the lives of
those travelers in Paris, who are Usbek and Rica, and those of Usbek's wives,
eunuchs and slaves, left in his harem in Turkey. The letters are correspondence
between Usbek and his friends, his wives, or eunuchs. Usbek's power over his
family is modeled after his power in the court. Rica, the other Persian, who
does not hold a post at court, lacks both property and family. Like despotism,
the harem is dull and oppressive, and both are unstable because all "legitimacy"
depends on the despot and the master. As subjects of despotism, Usbek's wives
and eunuchs live in constant fear of violating the unknown word of the master,
for which the penalty is death.
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The topics of the letters are wide-ranging and difficult to classify, but the
themes that seem to play an important role are very basic ones, such as
criticism of French society and culture, religion, sometimes of French nation
and politics, as well as questions about women, both in France and Persian
harem. The Persian Letters was a bestseller because of its erotic and exotic
content. Montesquieu seemed aware of the disrepute that the Letters might cause
for his public standing as a credible author so he published it anonymously in
Amsterdam and smuggled it into France. The Letters are a piece of fiction.
The idea of the tyrannical harem with a staff of slaves, eunuchs, and wives is
essential to Western conceptions of the Orient. Montesquieu's Persian Letters
begins with and steadily challenges these conservative images of life in the
Orient. Usbek, one of the main characters, tries to control his harem from
abroad with letters sent home. His wives write back to complain, to plead for
his return, and to inform him of state of affairs. It is repeatedly in these
wives' letters that the audience is satisfied by the typecast that we associate
with a harem as a place of luxury, hostility, captivity, and sexuality
(homosexual and heterosexual desires).
In Montesquieu's Persian Letters, the logic and reason of the Enlightenment
become tools for examining the various extremes present in all walks of life
thus demonstrating the need for balance and toleration. In his representation of
religion, Montesquieu explores the discrepancies defying reason found in
religious belief, practice, and leadership. He also presents the concept of
cultural relativism, where belief is subject to one's culture. Uniting cultural
relativism with religion's failure to meet the Enlightenment's tests of logic
and reason, tolerance becomes the only sensible response to religious
differences (and discrepancies).
Rica, the Persian equates the concept of the trinity, the three-in-one nature of
God, with magic and superstition (Letter 24). One of the objectives of the
Enlightenment was the removal or, simply, acceptance of superstitions or other
beliefs that could not be proven with reason. Montesquieu continues to examine
the lack of logic in religious belief by questioning how an omniscient God can
fit with the doctrine of free will (Letter 69). He argues that, if God is
all-knowing, there can be no choice since the outcome is already decided and
known. On the other hand, if man has freedom of choice, then God cannot be
omniscient since the outcome has yet to be decided. Simple analysis exposes such
theological inconsistency. Besides, to what are for the liberal mind irrational
ideas, Montesquieu questions the codification of religious belief in which the
bishops "compose articles of belief" as they go (Letter 29), but turn around and
pronounce the authors of new ideas to be heretics. Usbek sums up the muddled
conditions of Christian belief best when he comments, "what is true at one time
is false at another" (Letter 75). Monesquieu expresses the situation tersely in
stating, "We cause social disturbances and make ourselves suffer in order to
spread religious beliefs which are not fundamental" (Letter 61).
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In religious practice Montesquieu also finds many differences. Letter 46
addresses the confusion over the proper language for worshipping God in addition
to the proper position for engaging in prayer. Different religions had varying
standards with regard to the language for worship ranging from Latin, which was
not understood by most followers or leaders, to the language of common everyday
speech. Some groups advocated praying while upright, some while kneeling, while
others called for a face down campaigner. The question as to which approach is
correct is raised, but no answer can be found in reason so no basis can be
established for accepting one religion's approach as better to that of another.
A difference between talk and action is found in the conceding of indulgence for
those who choose not to fulfill the religious practices expected of them. This
is explained as a matter of "public utility" due to the fact that "this religion
is burdened with an infinity of very difficult observances" (Letter 29). The
granting of privileges in the form of extravagance played a key role in
activating the Reformation, because it opposed the very purpose of the religious
practice along with its moral and legal rules. In this way the practice of one
disagreement led to the conflicting religions that overwhelmed Europe with their
contradictory doctrines and religious forms.
Another area where Montesquieu attacks religious practice for contradicting is
the Inquisition. He notes that guilt is always unspoken while the testimony of
individuals of dubious character is gladly believed. He observes that if there
is any suspicion concerning the accused it results in more harsh treatment. The
outcome of these "trials" is mainly attacked where the judges speak of clemency
and extreme dislike of bloodshed while condemning the accused to death. Yet,
Montesquieu observes, "to console themselves they confiscate for their own
benefit everything that the poor wretches possess" (Letter 29). This is
countered with the remark that "we should guard against zealotry" (Letter 61).
Montesquieu many times acknowledges the problems borne out by the different
discrepancies and differing approaches to religion in the form of Christian
civil war brought about by intolerance (Letter 85), he concludes that if one
reasons without bigotry, the existence of several religions in a state would be
found to be desirable. Usbek the Persian, leaves no doubt to the need of
Europeans with regard to religion when in response to the attitude of religious
leaders that they are perfect judges he responds that they "are in great need of
being enlightened" (Letter 101). After exploring many religious differences and
discrepancies, none of which can be settled rationally, Montesquieu equates
reason with tolerance.
Throughout Persian Letters, Montesquieu points to the similarities between
differing religions and the differences in similar ones. He often refers to all
religious leaders by a common name ("dervishes") regardless of the particular
religion being discussed. As different people have different ways of worshipping
their interpretation of the Divine, these beliefs grow out of their societal
existence and each within its own setting must be accepted as correct.
Therefore, Montesquieu establishes the need for tolerance since reason can not
determine a final correct form of belief nor a means for ruling one society's
method right and another's wrong. Montesquieu many times acknowledges the
problems borne out by the different discrepancies and differing approaches to
religion in the form of Christian civil war brought about by intolerance (Letter
85).
Montesquieu argues for toleration based on enlightened ideas. Montesquieu uses
logic to portray God. "If there is a God, he must necessarily be just; for if he
were not, he would be the worst and most imperfect being of all" (Letter 83).
After exploring many religious differences and discrepancies, none of which can
be settled logically, Montesquieu equates reason with tolerance. He addresses
religious belief, practice, and leadership from a tolerant point of view that
eventually continues with cultural relativism to recommend acceptance and
tolerance as the only rational approach in dealing with biased personal faith
and religious choices.
Works Cited
Religious Tolerance in Montesquieu's Persian Letters
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/5804/Montesqu.htm
From Slavery to Virtue: THE REPUBLIC STRIKES BACK
http://les1.man.ac.uk/government/postgrad/slavery/default.htm
Montesquieu's Political Theory: Truth or Fiction? Jannie C. Chan. Faculty
Mentor: Professor Celeste Langan
http://www.aad.berkeley.edu/95journal/JannieChan.html
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