Candide Abstract
Candide
Voltaire, a French philosophe and writer, wrote this document during the Enlightenment. He illustrates his opinion on many Enlightenment ideas, such as Leibnizian optimism, deism, and religious tolerance. He impacted many people, including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson with his belief of religious toleration and civil rights. His view on organized religion also influenced the French Revolution. One of the Enlightenment views Voltaire addresses is Leibnizian optimism, or the view that the world men live in is a perfect world. Everything that happens is supposed to happen and all will turn out for the best. Voltaire mocks this view by having unfortunate things happen to Candide and other characters in the novel. Pangloss is a representation of his view, and often impedes other characters from taking positive action. One such instance was when Jacques the Anabaptist was drowning and Pangloss prevented Candide from saving him by saying, “the Lisbon harbor was formed expressively for the Anabaptist to drown in.” Also, when Candide was trapped under the rubble after the earthquake, he requests Pangloss to bring him some oil and wine, however the philosopher is too busy debating cause and effect. Finally, Candide encounters a slave in Surinam with one leg and one hand. He finally loses his faith in optimism by saying “it is mania for saying things are well when one is in hell.” Voltaire also expresses deism through the city of Eldorado. Deism is the belief that God created the world, but then left it to run on its own. Eldorado is free of crime and suffering with decent equality and advanced sciences and mathematics. Deism is illustrated by showing how this civilization tapped into nature and God and became incredibly successful. Voltaire is showing the ideal society in Eldorado. Finally, Voltaire mocks organized religion. In many instances, he shows the hypocrisy of religions. The Old Woman was the daughter of the Pope, however, the Pope is
Voltaire, a French philosophe and writer, wrote this document during the Enlightenment. He illustrates his opinion on many Enlightenment ideas, such as Leibnizian optimism, deism, and religious tolerance. He impacted many people, including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson with his belief of religious toleration and civil rights. His view on organized religion also influenced the French Revolution. One of the Enlightenment views Voltaire addresses is Leibnizian optimism, or the view that the world men live in is a perfect world. Everything that happens is supposed to happen and all will turn out for the best. Voltaire mocks this view by having unfortunate things happen to Candide and other characters in the novel. Pangloss is a representation of his view, and often impedes other characters from taking positive action. One such instance was when Jacques the Anabaptist was drowning and Pangloss prevented Candide from saving him by saying, “the Lisbon harbor was formed expressively for the Anabaptist to drown in.” Also, when Candide was trapped under the rubble after the earthquake, he requests Pangloss to bring him some oil and wine, however the philosopher is too busy debating cause and effect. Finally, Candide encounters a slave in Surinam with one leg and one hand. He finally loses his faith in optimism by saying “it is mania for saying things are well when one is in hell.” Voltaire also expresses deism through the city of Eldorado. Deism is the belief that God created the world, but then left it to run on its own. Eldorado is free of crime and suffering with decent equality and advanced sciences and mathematics. Deism is illustrated by showing how this civilization tapped into nature and God and became incredibly successful. Voltaire is showing the ideal society in Eldorado. Finally, Voltaire mocks organized religion. In many instances, he shows the hypocrisy of religions. The Old Woman was the daughter of the Pope, however, the Pope is