Essay on Candide a Satire on the Enlightenment - 604 Words

Candide is an outlandishly humorous, far-fetched tale by Voltaire satirizing the optimism espoused by the philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. It is the story of a young mans adventures throughout the world, where he witnesses much evil and disaster. Throughout his travels, he adheres to the teachings of his tutor, Pangloss, believing that all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Candide is Voltaires answer to what he saw as an absurd belief proposed by the Optimists - an easy way to rationalize evil and suffering. Though he was by no means a pessimist, Voltaire refused to believe that what happens is always for the best.brbrThe Age of Enlightenment is a term applied to a wide variety of ideas and advances in†¦show more content†¦(526)brbrThe multitudes of disasters, which Candide endures, culminate in his eventual, if temporary, abandonment of optimism. When asked Whats optimism? by Cacambo, Candide replies, AlasÂ…it is a mania for saying things are w ell when one is in hell. (555) brbrCandide finally begins to recognize the futility of his dear Pangloss philosophy. Voltaire concludes Candide by having Candide discover the Turks truth to life - Â…the work keeps us from three great evils, boredom, vice and poverty. (584) Candide and his band of followers consider these words and decide that they must cultivate their garden. Even when the entire group has accepted the pastoral lifestyle, finding contentment, Pangloss the Optimist attempts to prove how all their prior misfortunes were parts of the necessary chain of events for them to reach happiness. Voltaire paints Pangloss as the true dolt of optimism, never realizing the errors of his own logic.brbrEven though a philosopher of the Enlightenment himself, Voltaire uses Candide as a platform to criticize the utter optimism of his fellows. His use of satire throughout the story has a serious purpose. Voltaire uses satire as a means of pointing out injustice, cruelty, andShow More RelatedEssay on Use of Satire to Attack Optimism in Voltaires Candide1358 Words   |  6 PagesUse of Satire to Attack Optimism in Voltaires Candide       In its time, satire was a powerful tool for political assault on Europes corrupt and deteriorating society. Voltaires Candide uses satire to vibrantly and sarcastically portray optimism, a philosophical view from the Enlightenment used to bury the horrors of 18th century life: superstition, sexually transmitted diseases, aristocracy, the church, tyrannical rulers, civil and religious wars, and the cruel punishment of the innocentRead MoreCandide by Voltaire847 Words   |  3 PagesCandide Paper Many critics argue that Candide is not an enlightened work, but Voltaire’s satire thoroughly reflects on the philosophical morals and lessons of the Enlightenment. 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