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Candide: Mocks The Concept Of Philosophical Optimism

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Candide, is a satirical novella by Voltaire that Mocks the concept of Philosophical Optimism. Throughout the novel, Pangloss and Candide believe that “We live in the best of all possible worlds”. Pangloss remained a static character. He Voiced the idea of Philosophical Optimism Until his demise. Voltaire, however, using satire, continued to refute this belief. Voltaire ends the novel with the words “ We must cultivate our Garden” (131). Voltaire suggests that the “Garden” symbolizes one's life. We control our own fate. Candide realizes that his actions will determine how our life turns out. Growing up in “A castle of Westphalia, belonging to the Baron of Thunder-ten-Tronckh” Candide was tutored by Dr. Pangloss. In the beginning Candide
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Candide is a young male character, born out of wedlock to the German Baron of Thunder-ten-tronckh’s sister. His name means “whiteness” in Latin, signifying his innocence and purity, which ties directly to his inability to make his own decisions and being subject to the influence of stronger characters throughout the book. His character remains primarily static throughout the book, because although he makes minor steps in evaluating optimism, he ultimately sticks with the theory. Pangloss is a philosopher that worked at the German Baron’s castle and the catalyst of the the idea that they live in “the best of all possible worlds” and that “all is for the best” (Voltaire 1-2). This theory is based upon the ideas of philosopher Leibniz and is satirized throughout the book while being met with both skepticism and pessimism.

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The novel Candide, written by Voltaire, portrays the adventures and experiences of the main character named Candide. Being a very honest man, a character like Candide can be easily swayed and convinced to do and believe anything. From carelessness to greed, the reader can clearly understand that Voltaire ridicules many decisions and situations that occur in the novel. One of many themes Voltaire mocks in the novel would be how greed can result from wealth. What Voltaire is ultimately conveying to the reader is that money cannot buy happiness.

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Voltaire’s Candide takes us through the life and development of Candide, the protagonist. Throughout his adventures, he witnesses many travesties and sufferings. Like many Enlightenment philosophers, Pangloss, Candide’s tutor, is an optimist; this philosophy was adopted by many to help mask the horrors of the eightieth century. Pangloss teaches Candide that everything happens for a reason. Voltaire uses satire, irony and extreme exaggerations to poke fun at many aspects; such as optimism, religion, corruption, and social structures within Europe.

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Voltaire is well known for his suggestive satirical work, especially his masterpiece Candide. Candide is a timeless piece still relevant today, that was written to warn the public about the consequences of radical optimism (Online-Literature 1). The main character, Candide, is a naïve and trusting young man who is banished from his home. Despite his life being filled with a series of bizarre disasters, Candide holds fast to his optimism – which serves as an example to readers. Voltaire emphasizes the dangers of radical optimism by incorporating tone, themes and utilizing satire in Candide.

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While Candide investigates the philosophical phrases such as for the good” and best of all possible,” Voltaire pokes fun at religion, and optimism as well as the absence of human fulfilment, and many other subjects that are relevant throughout the 18th century to today’s world. This is expressed through the events that Candide experienced throughout the story. Voltaire satirizes this philosophy by showing its irrationality through understatements and hyperboles. For example, Pangloss does not allow Candide to save James the Anabaptist from drowning because he believes that it is what was meant to happen. “He was just going to jump after him, but was prevented by the philosopher Pangloss, who demonstrated to him that the Bay of Lisbon had been

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Candide is satirizing the idea that we live in “the best of all possible worlds.” (Means, n.d.). Voltaire had a message to deliver behind creating the characterization of Cunegonde, Paquette and the Old woman in his book Candide. He wanted to review that females at that time were

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At the end of the story, Candide’s redeems himself by living a humble and simple life, working at the farm with his family and not worrying about the rest of the world. The philosopher Pangloss also obtain redemption despite his suffering from contracting syphilis. His positivism helps him at the end as he knew that every misfortune a person could experience, is a step up for absolute positive change in the person’s life. Alternate characters in Voltaire’s story,

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Moreover, situations these forces create, and how they are beyond and within the control of Candide. Leading to Candide’s final beliefs, and how they illustrate the follies of optimistic determinism. At the beginning of Voltaire epic Candide is a naive scholar. He strongly adheres to the beliefs laid out for him by his mentor Pangloss.

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One key facet of living in the world today is the ability for people to have free will over their own lives. In Voltaire’s story “Candide,” it is clear to observe that although Candide is free to form his own decisions, he allows himself to be strongly determined by his surroundings as well as everyone who he encounters. This story proposes that Candide is trying to find a balance between submitting completely to the speculations and actions of others while also taking control of his life through blind faith. Throughout the story, Candide encounters frequent hardships along his voyage to prosperity. These obstacles include, but are not limited to becoming a bulwark, being beaten and forced to watch his beloved Pangloss having been hanged, leaving such an amazing place as Eldorado, being lied to and tricked out of diamonds by the abb`e, killing Cunegonde’s two lovers, almost being boiled alive for killing the monkey lovers, and being persuaded to be promiscuous on Cunegonde.

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The introduction: In life, there are the cheerful people (optimistic) and there the frown faced ones (pessimistic). Taking one side remains illogic in the course of life, as it is better to strike a balance between these two extremes. Candide is torn between being naïve and a kind of lamb in the herd led by an optimistic Shepard, and his famous saying’ in this best of all possible worlds’. (Voltaire, 1761, p.4). And the shocking discoveries that he makes later on his journey to meet his beloved baroness.

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Through the protagonist Candide one can deduce Voltaire’s negative outlook on human nature. He believes every word that Pangloss says, in the same way that people of the day believed everything that the Church would say. At the beginning of the text he blindly worships Optimism and by the end of it he worships the Turk’s philosophy of labour. “I also know… that we must cultivate our garden” (Voltaire 99). However it does appear that Candide has gained more knowledge and wisdom and has therefore made a more informed decision.

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Candide is a novel written by Voltaire that mocks many imperfections that have plagued mankind past and present. A wide range of human corruptions are highlighted during Candide’s journey such as; hypocrisy, injustice, and philosophy. Along with these short comings, the idea of mans natural lust for a flawless world is heavily depicted in this novel, allowing for analysis just how ludicrous the idea of a perfect world might really be. Voltaire’s use of utopias in Candide, symbolizes mans insatiable hunger for perfection, and their inability to satisfy it.

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J. Robert Oppenheimer’s quote, “The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true.” can be interpreted in innumerable ways. Voltaire's novella Candide resonates strongest negatively, with the pessimist’s view superseding the optimist’s view. Though a pessimist is someone who always sees the bad factors and worst possible results of any situation, Candide is not a story filled with negative thoughts even in the perfect circumstances; or gloomy with a quitter-esque attitude.

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