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Montesquieu’s Persian Letters

Introduction:

Like Fenelon’s “Adventures of Telemachus”, Montesquieu’s “Persian Letters” (Les "Lettres persanes" de Montesquieu) became a classic—a book that people still read, quote, and study today. The names of its characters, Usbek and Rica, are now famous on their own, even without knowing the book.

When it was first written, it was just a book meant to entertain and criticize society. It was a clever satire about the time it was written, and it also shared serious political thoughts about recent events, especially the final years of King Louis XIV and the beginning of the Regency period.

Published in 1721, “Persian Letters” mixes a made-up, exotic story with real events from the previous ten years. It tells both a personal story and a national one, and both are heading toward disaster.

The Novelistic Dimension:

Montesquieu was born in 1689 and died in 1755. So in 1721, when he published “Persian Letters”, he was still a fairly young man. By then, he had already studied law, which helped shape his thinking. He had also spent time in Paris, thinking about history and the economy.

He published the book anonymously in Amsterdam because there was no freedom of the press in France at the time. The book is written as a series of fictional letters, a style called epistolary fiction.

The letters are exchanged between two Persian men living in France—Usbek and his friend Rica—and their friends and family back home. Usbek had to leave Persia because of political problems. He left behind his harem, which was guarded by strict and harsh eunuchs, and traveled to Paris with Rica.

In their letters, Usbek and Rica express their surprise and confusion about French life. This is the satirical part of the book. By seeing French society through the eyes of outsiders, readers can laugh at or think more deeply about things they take for granted. Using exotic words to describe normal French life makes it seem strange and new. For example, French priests are called "dervishes" who are supposed to obey vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity—but don’t actually follow any of them.

Through this foreign viewpoint, Montesquieu is able to poke fun at French habits—like gambling, how women dress up and flirt, crowded streets, and how curious people are about everything. The book continues the clever and critical tradition of earlier writers like La Bruyère in the 1600s.

The “Persian Letters” also include a fictional and dramatic story, full of exotic and emotional scenes. This part is often called a "seraglio novel," which focuses on life in a harem. As Usbek stays away from Persia for a long time, the rules in his harem start to fall apart, even though the eunuchs are supposed to keep control.

Usbek, far away in Paris and filled with jealousy, hears about the problems only after long delays, because letters take a long time to arrive. From a distance, he tries to bring back strict order by giving harsh instructions to the eunuchs. But it doesn’t work. In the final letters, we see the complete breakdown of the harem.

In the very last letter, like a dramatic ending to a novel, Roxane—Usbek’s favorite wife—tells him she has been unfaithful, has always hated him, and plans to kill herself after poisoning the eunuchs. This ending, full of emotion and set in an exotic world, reads like a tragic story.

At the same time, it also reflects the collapse of France’s economy, shown earlier in the book. The fall of the harem is like a symbol, or metaphor, warning about the dangers of absolute power. It invites readers to think about despotism—when one person has all the control—and how it can lead to destruction, both in private life and in a country.

The Political Dimension:

The “Persian Letters” also have a strong political message, shown through both humor and serious reflections. Even though the story is made up, it often uses satire to reflect real-life events and make readers think about how power is used.

The two Persian characters arrive in Paris in 1712, and their letters describe life there until 1720. This covers recent political events that readers in 1721 would still remember well. Through these letters, Montesquieu gives his own point of view on that period.

The book shows the final years of King Louis XIV’s rule—a time marked by strict royal control, religious intolerance, and a deep economic crisis. It also shows how people felt relief when the king died in 1715.

One of the most exciting parts of the book is how it describes real events in a funny and exaggerated way—like the wild economic speculation under John Law’s financial system and the huge crash that followed in 1720. Montesquieu strongly criticizes this time of madness, when fortunes rose and fell quickly. For example, former servants became rich and married their daughters to poor nobles.

Montesquieu believed that monarchy should be based on stable things—like owning land and keeping noble family lines. But he saw that the monarchy was turning into a kind of despotism, where nothing was secure and everything depended on the personal power of the king and his ministers. Their promises meant nothing.

In letter number 142, Montesquieu makes fun of Law by describing him as a trickster, the son of Aeolus, the god of wind. Law takes money from the people of "Betica" (which stands for France) and gives them bags filled with wind—worthless promises. Then he vanishes, leaving the people shocked and ruined.

The Literary Value:

It is a work of great literary value due to its originality, style, and influence. An epistolary novel format allows Montesquieu to explore a wide range of topics—politics, religion, society, gender roles, and culture—through multiple voices and perspectives. The use of foreign characters observing French society adds a clever satirical layer, making readers rethink their own customs and values.

One of the book’s main strengths is its sharp and witty tone. Montesquieu uses irony and humor to criticize the absolutism of Louis XIV’s rule, the corruption of the Church, and the moral decay of society. At the same time, he includes thoughtful and serious reflections on freedom, justice, and power, giving the book both intellectual depth and literary elegance.

The novel also includes a dramatic subplot—the story of Usbek’s harem back in Persia—which adds emotional tension and symbolic meaning. The collapse of the harem mirrors the failure of political systems based on tyranny and control. This mix of exotic fiction, philosophical essays, and historical commentary makes the book rich and multi-layered.

To be Continued
 

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