The episode follows the young François-Marie Arouet, a bright student at the Jesuit college in Paris. Despite his father’s attempts to steer him toward a career in law, François is drawn to the libertine circles and literary salons of Paris, much to his father’s shame.
: The episode ends with the death of King Louis XIV in 1715. The 20-year-old François makes a critical error by siding with the wrong political faction, setting the stage for his future troubles with the French authorities. Main Characters
: François is sent to the Netherlands as an attaché, where he falls passionately in love with a young woman named Olympe Dunoyer . The relationship ends in a major scandal involving Olympe’s mother, a well-known pamphleteer, and the French ambassador, leading to his return to Paris.
(Maud Wyler): A noblewoman who patronizes the young writer at her court. Production Details Director : Alain Tasma.
(Thomas Solivérès): An ambitious, witty, and rebellious young man.
