Optimism In Candide
Candide is a novella written by the French philosopher Voltaire during the Enlightenment. The novella is centered on a young man named Candide who lives under his mentor, Pangloss. The work takes us through the great hardships of Candide’s adventure, where he struggles to settle down and live a peaceful life. The novel concludes with Candide saying that in order to obtain happiness 'We must cultivate our garden'. The meaning of this quote seems to be open to a wide variety of interpretations. This quotation is essentially rejecting the notion of optimism and expressing the idea that there is no solution to the problems of the world, and that the only thing we can do is carry on and ignore the world’s hardships.
Throughout the story, Pangloss
and Candide are portrayed as the optimists. Despite this attitude, they both suffer a wide range of horrors, such as robberies, executions, disease, earthquakes, rapes, floggings etc. In the beginning of the story, Pangloss insists that there was justification for all the horrible things in the world. Most of these arguments were obviously ridiculous. For example, he claimed that syphilis needed to be transmitted from the New World to Europe so that Europeans could enjoy chocolate. These claims are absurd and are shot down by the realistic pessimism of more intelligent character such as the old woman, Martin, and Cacambo. All of which have established pessimistic conclusions about the nature of the world and humanity itself. Eventually, Pangloss’ optimism meets its end when he is forced to admit that he “doesn’t believe of word of” his own optimistic conclusions. This highlights the ridiculousness of optimism, and shows us that it’s never entirely true.
At the end of the novella, Candide settles down with Pangloss, Cunégonde, and Cacambo. One would assume that Candide with be content with his life, since he finally overcame all the hardships he had to deal with during his expedition. However, Candide is still discontent with his life since he and the others become bored and quarrelsome. Candide seems happy because he spends his life working. This seems to be the part of the story where Candide reaches his peak of happiness. This is the happiest he has been yet he is still working hard and discontent, showing that humans are never really happy, and that nothing is ever perfect.
In addition to Candide and Pangloss, an event involving the old woman also portrays the novel’s attitude towards optimism. The old woman describes all of the horrible things that happened to the people who she was enslaved with. Her portrayal of these events shows that she is pessimistic, since she questions why they have not killed themselves.
I completely agree with this interpretation of Candide’s quote “we must cultivate our garden” since there is no real happiness in the world. Despite the fact that some positive events may be occurring, someone is always suffering. For example, we live extremely pampered lives in the US, compared to children living in third world countries. There are children in Africa suffering from deprivation of food and water. In addition, people living the pampered lifestyle of first world countries are never content with their lives, there are always problems with unemployment, poverty, discrimination, domestic violence etc. Usually the problems are just accepted and people just carry on with their lives. People are never genuinely happy.
Throughout the story, Pangloss
and Candide are portrayed as the optimists. Despite this attitude, they both suffer a wide range of horrors, such as robberies, executions, disease, earthquakes, rapes, floggings etc. In the beginning of the story, Pangloss insists that there was justification for all the horrible things in the world. Most of these arguments were obviously ridiculous. For example, he claimed that syphilis needed to be transmitted from the New World to Europe so that Europeans could enjoy chocolate. These claims are absurd and are shot down by the realistic pessimism of more intelligent character such as the old woman, Martin, and Cacambo. All of which have established pessimistic conclusions about the nature of the world and humanity itself. Eventually, Pangloss’ optimism meets its end when he is forced to admit that he “doesn’t believe of word of” his own optimistic conclusions. This highlights the ridiculousness of optimism, and shows us that it’s never entirely true.
At the end of the novella, Candide settles down with Pangloss, Cunégonde, and Cacambo. One would assume that Candide with be content with his life, since he finally overcame all the hardships he had to deal with during his expedition. However, Candide is still discontent with his life since he and the others become bored and quarrelsome. Candide seems happy because he spends his life working. This seems to be the part of the story where Candide reaches his peak of happiness. This is the happiest he has been yet he is still working hard and discontent, showing that humans are never really happy, and that nothing is ever perfect.
In addition to Candide and Pangloss, an event involving the old woman also portrays the novel’s attitude towards optimism. The old woman describes all of the horrible things that happened to the people who she was enslaved with. Her portrayal of these events shows that she is pessimistic, since she questions why they have not killed themselves.
I completely agree with this interpretation of Candide’s quote “we must cultivate our garden” since there is no real happiness in the world. Despite the fact that some positive events may be occurring, someone is always suffering. For example, we live extremely pampered lives in the US, compared to children living in third world countries. There are children in Africa suffering from deprivation of food and water. In addition, people living the pampered lifestyle of first world countries are never content with their lives, there are always problems with unemployment, poverty, discrimination, domestic violence etc. Usually the problems are just accepted and people just carry on with their lives. People are never genuinely happy.