The Problem with Optimism in Habral and Voltaire

The Problem with Optimism in Habral and Voltaire

Bohumil Hrabal’s I Served The King of England follows Ditie, a vertically challenged hotel busboy, through his experiences and adventures, which, in effect, alter his philosophies about life. In an eighteenth century parallel, French satirist Voltaire takes his title character, Candide on a long, perilous journey that results in a similar shift in beliefs. Characteristically, Ditie is similar to Candide, both men are very naïve by nature and eternally optimistic about the worlds they live in. Only after these worlds are turned upside down by wars, natural disasters, inquisitions, and political changes, do Candide and Ditie learn that in order to be happy with their lives they must “cultivate [their] garden;” [1] create an individualized path for themselves based on their own philosophies.

The parallels between Candide and Ditie are most obvious at the beginning of the novels. The stories of the two characters begin with them living well in grand residences under fairly good circumstances. Ditie is a busboy at the Golden Prague Hotel where, while not on duty, the staff is treated like guests of a slightly lower class. He makes enough money in his side business as a hot dog vendor that he is able to indulge his teenage fantasies weekly at a local whorehouse. Candide is living in castle Thunder-ten-tronckh with the beautiful Cunegonde, with whom he is in love.

Neither boy realizes how little the people think of them. Candide is looked down upon as an inferior because though he was born of a noble mother, she never married, so he is in fact a bastard. Ditie, much to his later frustration is limited by his small stature.

In addition to these similarities, they are both wide-eyed young boys, extremely impressionable and eager to please. Candide accepts Doctor Pangloss’ theories of metaphysico-theologoco-cosmonology without question. In layman’s terms this is a ridiculous take on the belief that everything happens for a reason. Voltaire is making a satirical jab at religion as well as philosophers [2] ; Candide blindly follows the teachings of Doctor Pangloss, even though he does not fully understand the ideas, as if they were words from a god.

Ditie awards the same admiration and blind faith to his first boss at the Golden Prague Hotel, who reminds him to see and hear everything and nothing at the same time.