Candide and the Enlightenment

Voltaire was a very cynical satirist who lived in eighteenth century France. While in exile for critiquing the French Church, he stayed in England who was, at that time, several years ahead of France in regards to social evolution. Here, he witnessed a different government and a different corporation. Upon his return to France, he realized how different edict was. At this time, enlightened thought was in line with cheerful thought. One of the most profound philosophers was the creator of this theory of optimism, G.W. von Leibniz. Leibniz claimed that everything that happened was incessantly for the best and that there was no other way it could save happened. Though most enlightenment writers believed in this view, Voltaire did not. Thus, he wad out to write Candide, which would become one of the most durable and most influential satires ever written, even after the society it was written for had died off. In the book, Voltaire is criticizing the enlightenment philosophy of optimism, corrupt and over-the-hill institutions, and the hypocrisy of people in general.
In the book, Candide starts off as an ignorant boy in Westphalia, who is taught by Dr. Pangloss that everything that happens is for the best and that it could not happen any other way. It is quite apparent that Dr. Pangloss represents Leibniz.



Thus, Candide believes in this optimistic theory and goes through the whole book nerve-racking to believe this thought. Here, he falls in love with the business leaders daughter Cunégonde. One night, he is found petting her and is promptly exiled because he is not of high enough class. This starts a chain of events that really show the backwards society that Candide (and Voltaire) lived in. throughout the book, Candide goes through a battle, an earthquake, a gauntlet of 2,000 men, a thrashing, a murder, and several other misfortunes. After each incident, he unwisely thinks that this is all for the best and was meant to happen. Voltaire uses these unbelievable events to show...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com



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