CandideCandide is a French satire by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. It begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism (or simply Optimism) by his mentor, Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting optimism outright, advocating a deeply practical precept, "we must cultivate our garden", in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds". Candide is characterized by its sarcastic tone, as well as by its erratic, fantastical and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel it parodies many adventure and romance clichés, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously. Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism. As expected by Voltaire, Candide has enjoyed both great success and great scandal. Immediately after its secretive publication, the book was widely banned because it contained religious blasphemy, political sedition and intellectual hostility hidden under a thin veil of naïveté. However, with its sharp wit and insightful portrayal of the human condition, the novel has since inspired many later authors and artists to mimic and adapt it. Today, Candide is recognized as Voltaire's magnum opus and is often listed as part of the Western canon; it is arguably taught more than any other work of French literature. It was listed as one of The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written. |
Contents
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Section 18 | |
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Section 20 | |
Section 21 | |
Section 22 | |
Section 23 | |
Section 24 | |
Section 9 | |
Section 10 | |
Section 11 | |
Section 12 | |
Section 13 | |
Section 14 | |
Section 15 | |
Section 16 | |
Section 25 | |
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Section 27 | |
Section 28 | |
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Section 30 | |
Section 31 | |
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Common terms and phrases
abbe of Perigord adventures agreeable Anabaptist Andalusian horses answered Candide asked auto-da-fe Baron Baroness beautiful beheld Bordeaux Buenos Ayres Bulgarians Cadiz Candide and Cacambo Candide and Martin Candide's captain Carnival at Venice carried castle CHAPTER Constantinople cried Candide Devil diamonds Don Issachar Dorado El Dorado eunuchs everything eyes fair Cunegund Franciscan galley gave going Governor of Buenos Grand Inquisitor hanged heard honor hundred Inquisitor Janissaries Jesuit killed King kingdom Knight of Malta ladies Lisbon Lord Manichaean manner Marchioness Massa Carrara Master Pangloss Miss Cunegund moidores never obliged old woman Oreillons Pacquette Paraguay person philosopher pleasure Pococurante Portugal prince Propontis replied Candide Reverend Father sent sheep ship sister skipper slave soon spend the Carnival strangers supped Surinam surprised tears Theatin things thou thousand piastres Thunder-ten-tronckh took valet vessel wait Westphalia whole young