Character Analysis: Voltaire's Candide

Enlightenment poem “Candide” translated into Romanticism

Voltaire’s “Candide or Optimism” was written in the enlightenment era. Voltaire’s story is published in The Norton Anthology of Western Literature. Voltaire’s character Pangloss is a philosophy who taught about the all-powerful God, who created the world. Pangloss indicated the world must belong to God, for he was the only divine creator. Pangolss was also a mentor to Candide, who was the main character in the novel. Candide had a good heart, but felt very hopeless in life. Pangloss took Candide under his wings teaching him the “best of all possible worlds.” The enlightenment movement is closely seen in Voltaire’s writing style on page 378. Pangolss had an optimistic viewpoint, and belief that the world was good. Pangloss believed that a powerful God had created the world. Pangloss also believed that if people believed something was evil and wrong, it was mainly because they did not have a close relationship with God. The interpretation of the passage continues below on page 378 transforming from its original form of Enlightenment writing style to a piece literary work that represents Romantic content and style. The changing style of writing transforms, from the beliefs of natural law to humankind of freedom.

On page 378, “The Baron’s son seem in every way worthy of his father.” The tutor Pangloss was the oracle of the household and little Candide listened to his lectures with all the good faith of his age and character. Pangloss gave instruction in mataphysico-theolgico-comoloonigology. He proved admirably that there cannot possibly be an effect without a cause and that this best of all possible worlds "It is demonstra...

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..., and science. Romantics felt that a scientific worldview was absolutely cold and sterile. The Romanticism felt that science and human law would rob people of their humanity. Both of these movements shatter the establishment norms and authority. Both of these movements encouraged society to take a different perspective. An example is in Candide’s lust and idealistic crush, and Voltaire repeatedly refers Cunegonde as the very lovely Cunégonde. Cunegonde is the daughter of a wealthy German. She is described as very beautiful” (Voltaire. 5) Voltaire throws a undercuts at Candide’s romantic ideals by having him continue to worship Cunégonde even after she faithlessly marries her husband. Voltaire shows in this passage that Romantics shows emotions and intuition are important sources of society.

Works Cited

Voltaire, Francois-Marie Arouet. "Candide, or Optimism