Candide or “Optimism” is one of the works of Voltaire. This novella mainly satirizes philosophical optimism, which is a belief that everything in the world is done for a reason, and this world was created by a perfect God therefore, it must be perfect. The novel’s protagonist, Candide and his tutor Dr. Pangloss, think ‘’everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds.’’ Candide looks to Dr. Pangloss in times of need and question. In the novel when something tragic happens Candide looks to Pangloss to explain why the tragedy has occurred. ‘’He proved incontestably that there is no effect without cause, and that in this best of all possible worlds, his lordship’s country seat was the most beautiful of mansions and her ladyship the best of all possible ladyships’’ (Voltaire, 20). This idea was supported by many enlightenment thinkers but the philosphys main influence came from the philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz. Voltaire did not agree with this philosophy, hence, he created a brutal satire of optimism in Candide. This is clearly demonstrated through Candide’s suffering and Dr. Pangloss’s philosophical speeches throughout the novel; Voltaire also uses the true events …show more content…
Pangloss, an exaggerated allusion of the actual philosopher and the main supporter of philosophical optimism. In serious situations Pangloss often unhelpfully analyzes the situations. (SparkNotes, O.S.). For instance, when James the Anabaptist drowns, Pangloss tries to find a way to analyze the situation and it isn’t helpful When James the Anabaptist drowns, tries to find a way to analyze the situation and it isn’t helpful. “He wanted to throw himself in the sea after the Anabaptist, but the great philosopher, Pangloss, stopped him by proving that Lisbon harbour was made on purpose for this Anabaptist to drown there” (Voltaire, 33). Pangloss’s attempts clearly show Voltaire’s contempt for philosophical
Throughout Voltaire’s story of Candide, Pangloss’ world view is frequently brought into question. Pangloss believes that the world that they live in is the best of possible worlds. He believes that this is the case because God himself created this world. Throughout the story Candide struggles and goes back and for the between whether or not he believes in Pangloss’ view of the perfect world or not. His view is very reminiscent of the idea of fate and that all things happen for a reason.
Voltaire’s satire contains a strong sense of witful irony and parodies meant to elicit disgust at the topics he is criticizing. “Candide’s” sense of satire is largely derived from the Juvenalian satire which was created by the Roman satirist Juvenal. By using absurdist and ironic images of characters, satirists intend to invoke disgust or laughter at a topic to the point where it is rejected a legitimate. Thi is the point with Voltaire’s mockery of optimism in “Candide”.
Enlightenment philosophers wanted concrete, tangible proof to back their ideas. Pangloss, Candide’s friend and teacher, is a character that depicts the metaphysical side of the Old Regime. He is an optimist who believes that there is no effect without a cause and that everything is made for a reason and with a purpose. Voltaire portrays Pangloss as naive. Pangloss finds himself in trouble for studying and exploring the world before he becomes sure of himself and his ideas. Even after Pangloss’s troubles, he still refuses to stray from his thoughts and would rather believe his ideas than face reality. Another character that is depicted as naive and optimistic is Cacambo, Candide’s servant. Cacambo consoles Candide after his loss of Cunegonde. Cacambo claims that God takes care of all women and that they will never be at a loss. But Candide knows the sufferings that Cunegonde and the Old Woman have experienced. Cunegonde was bought, sold, and objectified throughout the novel, along with the Old Woman, who was beaten, raped, and treated with
Just as on the title, Candide, or Optimism, Optimism is also used as a major theme. Voltaire's satire of philosophical optimism is one of the major issues of Candide. Throughout the story, satirical references to "the best of all possible worlds" contrast with natural catastrophes and human wrongdoing. According to Wikipedia, "optimism, the opposite of pessimism, is a lifeview where the world is looked upon the as a positive place. Optimists generally believe that people are inherently good. These people are said to have a "positive" outlook on life, believing that given time, things will work out in the end." Also according to Wikipedia, "In philosophy, optimism is linked with the name of Gottfried
In “Candide,” Voltaire’s satiric theme is broad and varied. Although the most interesting satire is the one on religion, especially the utopia in which Candide starts off the story in, the first in importance is philosophical optimism, specifically Pangloss’s philosophy which in the novel this philosophical optimism seems to represent mankind's overall and overused optimism as means to copping with tragedy or loss. Pangloss’s philosophy is both the most important point for debate among the novel’s characters and one of the main targets of Voltaire’s satire. Pangloss is inevitably humorous “Pangloss gave instruction in metaphysico-theologico-cosmolo-nigology" his character is very predictable and superficial, his so called doctrine on optimism which is voiced out repeatedly that even great evil leads to good is opposed gross absurdity with absurdity. "It is clear, said he, that things cannot be
Throughout Candide Voltaire mercilessly satirizes and mocks many aspects of philosophical optimism. One of the most prevalent examples of this is displayed through Candide’s teacher, Pangloss. Acting as a stand-in for Leibniz in the novel, Voltaire portrays him as both ignorant and arrogant, initially introducing him as Candide’s “metaphysico-theologo-cosmoniogoly”(Voltaire 15) teacher. Pangloss’s egocentric personality
Through the steady adversity faced by Candide, Voltaire brings up important questions about how the nature of optimism appears to commoners. Pangloss's philosophy of "the best of all possible worlds" - an example of the misleading
Voltaire's Candide is a novel that is interspersed with superficial characters and conceptual ideas that are critically exaggerated and satirized. The parody offers cynical themes disguised by mockeries and witticism, and the story itself presents a distinctive outlook on life narrowed to the concept of free will as opposed to blind faith driven by desire for an optimistic outcome. The crucial contrast in the story deals with irrational ideas as taught to Candide about being optimistic by Pangloss, his cheerful mentor, versus reality as viewed by the rest of the world through the eyes of the troubled character, Martin. This raises the question of whether or not the notion of free will is valid due to Candide’s peculiar timing of his
Candide is a fictional satire of the optimism many philosophers had for life in general during the mid 1700’s written in response to Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man. Written by Voltaire, the literary alias of Francois-Marie Arouet, the satire covers religion, the wealthy, love, why people thought natural disasters occurred and especially, philosophy. The novel even goes on to make fun of the art of literature by giving ridiculous chapter headings. Just about everything Voltaire put into Candide is designed to question and satirize real world injustices. In effect Candide is the 18th century equivalent of a modern day sitcom (Shmoop).
For the first half of the book, it quite clearly seems that Voltaire provides a simple answer to that question: namely, no. Candide quite quickly begins to doubt his teacher's philosophy that all is for the best as monstrous thing after monstrous thing befalls him. While still believing in Pangloss’ philosophy, after seeing his teacher hung by the Spanish Inquisition, Candide is forced to ask “if this is the best of all possible worlds, what are the others like” (Voltaire 29)? Dr. Pangloss, however, is not just proved wrong; his theory even ends up hurting Candide. Because Candide believes wholeheartedly that all must be good, he is much more vulnerable to deception and ends up
The theme of criticism “the best of all possible worlds” is present through the whole story. Throughout the novel, Voltaire uses optimism satire to contrast with the catastrophes and human affliction in the story. When Candide finds a moribund and sick Pangloss, Candide asks who is at fault for his tragedy and Pangloss replies that “ The disease was a necessity in this ‘the best of all possible worlds’, for it was brought to Europe by Columbus’ men, who also brought chocolate and cochineal, two greater goods that well offset any negative effects of the disease,” (Voltaire 17). With all the
Voltaire does most of his satirizing through the character of Dr. Pangloss, an unconditional follower of Leibnitz’s philosophy and Candide’s mentor. Pangloss’ ramblings are not personal attacks on Leibnitz, but in some way represent the thoughts of a typical optimist. He is a very hopeful character in the story because he refuses to accept bad. When Candide encounters Pangloss after a long period of time, Pangloss explains how he was almost hanged, then dissected, then beaten. Candide asks the philosopher if he still believes that everything is for the best, and Pangloss replies that he still held his original views. Voltaire frequently exaggerates his point on optimism; there is nobody in reality who is positive about everything all the time, especially after so many horrible experiences. One could say that Pangloss is irrational and idiotic, and Voltaire tries to depict how inexplicable his beliefs are which do not measure up to reality.
Voltaire's Candide is the story of how one man's adventures affect his philosophy on life. Candide begins his journey full of optimism that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds," but he learns that it is naïve to say that good will eventually come of any evil.
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
Candide is consistently being brainwashed by reason (Pangloss) saying that we live in "the best of all possible worlds", while it is quite obviously that he does not. For how can there be, in the best of all worlds, war, slavery and many more abominations. Half-way through the book it would appear that Candide has given up his optimism when he looked at the Negro slave. "Oh Pangloss... I'll have to give up your optimism at last" (73). But to the distress of the readers he has not given up his chafing optimism. "Since I found you [an Eldoradian sheep laden with stones], I'm sure I can find Cunegnde again" (79). Thus we see that he has quickly recovered his optimism. Voltaire is using Candide's blatant optimism to relate to the people of his time that also have the same type of optimism.