Candide, by Voltaire

1214 Words3 Pages

“Candide” by Voltaire is a novel that captures the tumultuous life of Candide, the simple, illegitimate son of the baron of Thunder-ten-tronckh’s sister. Living in the castle in Westphalia, Candide’s realm of knowledge encompasses the ideas presented to him by Pangloss, his tutor, who believes that the world they inhabit is the “best of all possible worlds.” (Voltaire 15) Candide carries the optimism of Pangloss’ belief with him as he is banished from his castle and enters an uncharted terrain. In the unfamiliar world of hardship, suffering and poverty, he discovers the inaccuracy of the many ideas Pangloss presented to him. Through the texts “Candide” by Voltaire, “The Allegory of the Cave” by Plato and “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., the validity of Pangloss’ philosophy can be tested.

Pangloss’ view of the world refers to Leibnez’s theory , which attempts to explain the existence of evil in the simultaneous presence of God. According to him, God, being omniscient and omnipotent, possesses the ability to see all the possible worlds. He chooses the best of these worlds for us to live in, therefore, all the evil in the world is essentially not evil at all; it was foreseen, understood, and thus, created by God. However if this theory were true, then the world would be pre-determined and humans would have no free will. On the other hand, the story told by the Bible describes Adam and Eve as people who were punished for having free will and eating the apple. If the world were indeed pre-determined by God, then Eve eating the apple from the tree of knowledge would be the pre-determined, too. Since God did not intend for Eve to consume the apple, her action was one of free will. Pangloss’ view is considered heretic because hi...

... middle of paper ...

...nde’s brother to give him her hand in marriage, as he lacks a position of power. Both the old woman and Cunegonde’s transition from the wealthy to the mistress of men shows the transiency of wealth. The storylines capture the uselessness of being in positions of wealth and power as neither truly benefits the one in possession of it.

The land of El Dorado is shown as the least jaded and corrupt of lands. Religious intolerance is non-existent, as the inhabitants follow only one religion; wealth is immaterial, as the gold all around them has no monetary value for them and there is no hierarchy of power in the land. It is perhaps a world like the one of El Dorado that can rid the world of turmoil and suffering. Denouncing religion, abdicating power and living a simple life may be the answer to relieving the inhabitants of the world from the atrocities that freckle it.

Show More
Related

  • Candide, Death Of Ivan Ilyich, And The Metamorphosis

    1380 Words  | 3 Pages

    The author, Voltaire, wrote in the Enlightenment period, a literary movement characterized by the rising concern of philosophy, science, and politics. Voltaire’s writing was influenced by the Enlightenment movement to create awareness of global issues. This is evident in the repeated tragedies Candide stumbles upon. Social issues, corrupt authority figures, and war are real world topics that Voltaire chooses to address in Candide. The satirical nature of Candide allows for an in-depth discussion between the characters regarding the problems they face and the problems of the people they meet, creating a perspective that the audience is forced to look through. It is also a coming of age story, not just for Candide, but for the rising awareness in global issues. Voltaire’s inclusion of the issues of his time reflect the severity of those issues. Satire is used as a reaction to a society’s hypocrisy. Candide as a satirical piece reflects what people have neglected to pay attention to. Coming into a new era of awareness and responsibility leads Candide to reflect on the live he lived in Westphalia and the people he encountered across

    Read More

  • A Series of Unfortunate Events in Voltaire's Candide

    619 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...reflected critically on the events of his life—even just the two examples used in this essay--, he would probably find that this is not the best of all possible worlds as it is rife with evil and suffering. With this novella, Voltaire made the point that some spend a lifetime justifying—not rationalizing—the events of the world because those same people are too busy attempting to prove one theory rather than develop others that may fit reality more. When Candide dismisses Pangloss at the end of the novella by saying, “Let us cultivate our garden,” he is rejecting Pangloss’ philosophy, turning over a new leaf, and taking charge of his own life and giving it its own meaning free of Pangloss’ influence.

    Read More

  • How Is Pangloss As The Counter To Voltaire

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the novel Candide, Pangloss is not a believable character. He is an exaggeration, a representation of the kind of philosopher whose personality is inseparable from his philosophy. His continued optimism is subject to most of the satire found in the novel, and through forcing Pangloss to interact with the cruel world around him, Voltaire can attack the ideas Pangloss represents. His idea that this world is the best of all possible worlds is attacked frequently by Voltaire in the novel, and when covering the subject of idle philosophy, Pangloss is an example of how not to behave. It is through Pangloss that we truly see Voltaire’s feelings, as he uses Pangloss as an exaggeration of what not

    Read More

  • The Amazing Journeys of Candide

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Voltaire's satire Candide the reader follows the travel of the main character Candide. Candide dynamically develops through the book by adsorbing multiple philosophies,and eventually concluding his own design. Throughout his journeys he encounters three major philosophies: optimism, pessimism and realism. The first philosopher is Pangloss and he teaches about optimism. The second philosopher that he meets is cacambo, and he is a person who accepts the world as it actually is. The last philosopher that candide encounters is a pessimist, and the despises everything in the world. As these three philosophers travel with Candide, they helped him see different viewpoints of the world. As a result, Candide’s development is greatly affected by the philosophies of Pangloss, Cacambo, and Martin.

    Read More

  • Candide: Discussion

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...elves and reject our curious nature, that’s when the world will know eternal bliss. Voltaire’s views surface through Candide’s views in the final chapters of the book. The resurrection of Pangloss and other characters that were thought to be dead symbolized the recurrence of evil and the dominance of evil over good.

    Read More

  • Candide Essay

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    Candide is written to show human vices but also show Voltaire’s counter ideas to Leibniz’s optimism. Each one of the characters that Candide interacts with has their own specific folly that proves the world maybe isn’t all for the best. Pangloss is so optimistic that he is naive and conceded, the abbe in France is extremely greedy when she steals gems from Candide, and the Dervish who doesn’t question things is so passive that he isn’t very likeable. The ending of the novel concludes when Candide finds peace in the garden where he is working to escape the three evils in the world according to the Old Turk. Candide’s finding of peace can correlate with Voltaire being okay with life and the earth even though he sees suffering happen. Though the novel bashes on optimism, Voltaire’s acceptance life and of the world is a good example for anyone.

    Read More

  • Voltaire's Candide

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Everything happens for the best, in this the best of all possible worlds.” This is a statement that can be found many times within Voltaire’s Candide. Voltaire rejected Lebitizian Optimism, using Candide as a means for satirizing what was wrong with the world, and showing that, in reality, this is not the best of all possible worlds.

    Read More

  • Candide Religion

    1005 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the book, Voltaire critiqued Leibniz theory that we live in the “best of all possible worlds.” Pangloss was our optimist philosopher, who contended for the Leibniz theory. He argued that, “since everything was made for a purpose, everything is necessarily for the best purpose” (Voltaire, 16). After Candide was beaten, his love raped, his tutor sick with syphilis; After earthquakes, shipwrecks, slavery, being exiled, and l...

    Read More

  • Candide by Voltaire

    1725 Words  | 4 Pages

    Voltaire’s most classic work, Candide, is a satiric assault on most everything that was prevalent in society during the author’s lifetime. The entire novel can be regarded as a bleak story where every character compares life stories to see whose life is worse. Just when the novel cannot get anymore morbid or depressing, it does, to a much greater degree. While Candide is generally considered a universal denunciation, it is optimism that Voltaire is attacking to the greatest degree. However, there are numerous other satirical themes throughout the novel worth discussing. These other areas of mockery include aristocratic snobbery, religious bigotry, militarism, and human nature.

    Read More

  • Loss of Innocence in Candide by Voltaire

    832 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...mise to only love their husbands or wives and now he had been unfaithful to her with the Marquise. This action by Candide demonstrates how Candide has adapted to the world and how people also adapt to the things that exist.

    Read More

  • Criticism In Chapter 5 Of Voltaire's 'Candide'

    1176 Words  | 3 Pages

    In chapter 5 of Candide, the Enlightenment and the birth of tolerance were on full display. In Candide, the Enlightenment thinkers’ view of the optimum world is challenged through the shipwreck and the satiric explanations of the Lisbon Bay and Lisbon Earthquake. Voltaire continues to use ironically tragic events to test Pangloss’s optimistic philosophy, which attempts to explain evil. The use of grotesque and naive behavior between individuals in this chapter makes the reader question Pangloss’s irrational thinking with the cause and effects of the events.

    Read More

  • The Nature of Unhappiness in Candide, by Voltaire

    1316 Words  | 3 Pages

    Candide is well known for its critique of optimism by Voltaire. The title character, along with his companions, bears many hardships throughout the novel and philosophizes about the nature and necessity of good in the world. Whether there is truly any good in the world is debated between the characters, particularly between the very discouraged Martin and Candide, who carries with him the optimistic words of Dr. Pangloss, a believer in the good nature of the world. While the characters debate why man must carry such burdens, Voltaire shows us that it is dealing with the bad that makes us human. While discussing Cunegonde Martin says to Candide, "I wish" that she may one day make you happy. But I very much doubt she will. ‘You are a bit hard,’ said Candide. ‘That’s because I’ve lived,’ said Martin.

    Read More

  • Women in Voltaire’s Candide

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cunegonde is the daughter of a wealthy German lord. She is described as “extremely beautiful” (Voltaire. 5) and is repeatedly referred to as “the fair Cunegonde.” (39). She is the typical damsel-in-distress: a woman who is completely reliant on male protection and often fainting at the sight of anything the least bit distressing. She is a vapid beauty and completely obsequious to whomever she happens to belong to at the time. However, Voltaire does not blame her foolish naiveté on her femininity. Candide himself is terribly innocent and is unable to make decisions without the advice of a third party. In a way, Cunegonde accepts her situation in life better than Candide does. She knows that as a woman in the eighteenth century she has few options if she wishes to survive and she is not above using her beauty to her advantage. She never questions or philosophizes like many of the male characters. Her acceptance of the sexual slavery she finds herself in belies an understanding of the limited options women had at the time.

    Read More

  • Candide: A Satire On The Enlightenment

    596 Words  | 2 Pages

    Candide is an outlandishly humorous, far-fetched tale by Voltaire satirizing the optimism espoused by the philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. It is the story of a young man’s adventures throughout the world, where he witnesses much evil and disaster. Throughout his travels, he adheres to the teachings of his tutor, Pangloss, believing that "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds." Candide is Voltaire’s answer to what he saw as an absurd belief proposed by the Optimists - an easy way to rationalize evil and suffering. Though he was by no means a pessimist, Voltaire refused to believe that what happens is always for the best.The Age of Enlightenment is a term applied to a wide variety of ideas and advances in the fields of philosophy, science, and medicine. The primary feature of Enlightenment philosophy is the belief that people can actively work to create a better world. A spirit of social reform characterized the political ideology of Enlightenment philosophers. While Voltaire’s Candide is heavily characterized by the primary concerns of the Enlightenment, it also criticizes certain aspects of the movement. It attacks the idea that optimism, which holds that rational thought can inhibit the evils perpetrated by human beings.

    Read More

  • Optimism and Pessimism in Voltaire’s Candide

    1176 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Voltaire’s Candide, we are taken by the hand through an adventure which spanned two continents, several countries, and to a multitude of adverse characters. The protagonist, Candide, became the recipient of the horrors which would be faced by any person in the 18th century. But Candide was always accompanied with fellows sufferers, two of which our focus will lay, Pangloss and Martin. In equal respects, both are embodiments of different philosophies of the time: Pangloss the proponent of Optimism and Martin the proponent of Pessimism. Each of the two travelers is never together with Candide, until the end, but both entice him to picture the world in one of their two philosophies. Throughout the story there is an apparent ebb and flow from Candide on how to think of the world. By the end of his journey, Candide will be presented with evidence to lead to his agreement of either Optimism or Pessimism. But I submit, Candide does not become a firm believer in either philosophies but rather retains a philosophy in between Optimism and Pessimism, somewhat of a stoic mentality. Thus Voltaire’s opinion on philosophy will be predicated upon his character, Candide.

    Read More

More about Candide, by Voltaire

Open Document