Compare And Contrast Optimism And Candide

Suzette Beaudoin
Professor Johnson
HUM 2052 Civilization 2: Renaissance through Modern
8 November 2014

Optimistic vs Pessimism The French author, Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire, wrote the novella Candide which is also known as “Optimism” (Racine 421). During Voltaire’s time, his works were very popular in Europe. Candide, which is his mockery, seems to be still studied today. Voltaire, in Candide, seem to strive to point out the myth of Gottfried William von Leibniz’s philosophy. He seems to criticize the worldly superiority, which is the theory of optimism, and the violence of war. In Leibniz’s theory, he thought that God had the ability to pick from an unlimited number of worlds, and he picked this world,
Pangloss, a total follower of Leibniz’s philosophy, was a character created by Voltaire to accentuate his criticism of optimism in the novella. Dr. Pangloss belief was that everything had a purpose and things happened for a reason. Dr. Pangloss thought that the terrible Lisbon earthquake and fire were for the best. Over thirty thousand lives was taken in the disastrous earthquake. Dr. Pengloss stated, “All this is for the best ... since it is unthinkable that things should not be where they are”. (Racine 432) The philosophy of Dr. Pangloss was that there was the purpose behind the earthquake. He belief was that there was a rational reason for the earthquake, even though he no substantial evidence to support his theory. Dr. Pangloss also used this theory when the Anabaptist fell overboard. Candide was about to save the man and Dr. Pangloss “prevented him by proving that the bay of Lisbon had been formed expressly for this Anabaptist to drown in”. (Racine 431) His belief seems to be that the bay was there to take a man’s life was not highly likely. Again he was unable to show any evidence that showed that it was the best. Voltaire’s seems to be mocking the theory of optimism with Dr. Pangloss’ belief that the earthquake and the man dying are for the best. The statements of Dr. Pangloss’ that the Theory of Optimism do not show any proof of validation other than things is for the
The Bulgarians and their cruelty were used by Voltaire, as the basis for his mocking on war. A good example was when Candide was given the choice “to be flogged thirty-six times by the entire regiment or to receive summerly a dozen bullets in the brain”. (Racine 423) Candide begs for them to kill him after two run through the gauntlet. He had rather die than to be beaten. This seems to speak of the cruelty of the punishment. He was condemned to this punishment because of simply taking a walk. Another mockery of war in Candide was when the Bulgarians’ burned the Abare village “in strict accordance with the laws of war”. (Racine