Voltaire

only on the negative aspects of the piece. Bottiglia argues against this, saying that “all literal or pessimistic or escapist interpretations suffer from the necessity of somehow explaining a spectacular exception in the philosophic production of Voltaire” (725). In attempting to explain a philosophic production, other scholars miss the opportunity to dig deeply into Voltaire’s surroundings and analyze the origin of his creation. Shortly after the beginning of the tale, “Candide is ejected from…

Voltaire was famous for being a writer, historian, and a philosopher known for his wittiness, his attacks on the Catholic Church, and his support of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and separation of church and state. Voltaire is partially famous for his wit and he shows that very well in Candide. Voltaire hated optimism and in a very well manner produces a humorously exaggerated imitation of that through Pangloss, the philosophical optimist, and Candide, the student of Pangloss.…

is also a part of the philosophy of optimism, championed by Dr. Pangloss and his ever faithful student Candide, in Voltaire’s classic novel Candide, (Voltaire, 1759). Yet the author of the novel did not subscribe to the philosophy of optimism that his main characters adhered to, in fact he had a great distain for the philosophy of optimism. Voltaire had relied heavily upon satire to describe his views of optimism and religion. Throughout the book there are numerous satirical references made to…

The Enlightenment Philosophers: what was their main idea? There are four philosophers John Locke, Voltaire, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstone. They all have main ideas but every belief they have relates to one another. Main idea’s on how to make a better society, the right to choose as people desire, making an individual choice, and human equality. All of these idea’s have one thing in common that is, that these idea’s will benefit society and individual’s. John Locke lived in England during the…

Enlightenment, encountered movements that encouraged the rise of the French Revolution through philosophical ideas. This time of literature showed works of inclusive significance towards the Enlightenment period, also known as the age of reason. Both Voltaire and Moliere were influential thinkers of the Enlightenment. Both of these gentlemen proved to be excellent writers judging by the representation of their works, Moliere’s Tartuffe and Voltaire’s Candide literature showed examples of…

Voltaire, author of the short novel, Candide, employs exaggeration in order to satirize the optimistic thinking of pre-enlightenment philosophers. Voltaire’s cynic point of view is clear throughout the novel as unending horrors befall the main character, Candide. Pangloss, Candide’s mentor and teacher while he lived with his uncle in Westphalia, is the source of the novel’s main idea of optimism. On the other hand, Martin, his traveling partner later in the novel, represents everything that…

Satire will depend on bizarre images of humiliation, ridicule, and physical violence (Mikics, p271). In the novel Candide, the character is naïve and travels around the world to have experiences to prove to the reader that evil does actually exist. Voltaire is the author of the novel, and he satirizes points in religion, war, and philosophy. Candide is the main character in the novel, and Candide mocks Leibniz's beliefs in the form of Dr. Pangloss's visitation and optimistic belief that…

In Wood and Cuffe’s analysis, they say Eldorado is indeed a perfect state. “Eldorado is perfect, but perfection itself is a problem in Voltaire 's view, as his recurring allusions to the Garden of Eden also suggest,” (Wood and Cuffe). But I disagree with what they say besides the fact they state that Eldorado is not ideal. There are many pertaining flaws to Eldorado that make it not as perfect as it was presented. Many details can be pointed out in the short chapter of Eldorado that prove it is…

In the book, Pangloss not only was an instructor to Lady Cunegonde, but he was Candide's. He taught, both Candide and Lady Cunegonde, his philosophical beliefs in the world along with a subject that Voltaire made up in a comedic sense to laugh at other fields of study. The proof of the Student-Teacher relationship that the two have with each other is when Candide would always "listen to him during his teachings with an unhesitating faith" (20). This…

philosophers stressed the use reason as the best method for learning the truth. Well known enlightenment identities like Voltaire, Locke, Rousseau, and Montesquieu wrote books that strongly inspired the people with revolutionary ideas of liberty and equality, and not only questioned current ideology, but also challenged authority, such as the monarchy and the Church. Voltaire advocated freedom of religion,…