Candide Group

Question:

shandel06
shandel06
Student
College - Freshman

How is Candide a satire of the philosophy of optimism?

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Posted by shandel06 on Sunday April 13, 2008 at 10:47 PM and tagged with candide, optimism, philosophy, satire.

Answers:

  1. teacherk
    teacherk Teacher
    Middle School

    eNotes Editor

    Candide has been indoctrinated by the kingdom's philosopher "Pangloss" before he is expelled for loving the Princess Cunegonde from the fictional kingdom of Westphalia. His teachings in the garden of the kingdom would be considered the most important as they set up the rest of the ironic contrast. Pangloss represents a pre-Enlightenment philosopher "Leibniz", who preached about the importance of "Optimism", which Voltaire sought to attack though his satire. Candide overcomes everything from losing his princess, brutal beatings, syphilis, an "auto-da-fe", drowning, and attacks--all in his mind still belonging to the "best of all possible worlds". In Candide's words, everything can only be for the best, despite that he encounters trouble after trouble--most often life threatening. There are no redeeming qualities in any of the horrible events that Candide encounters, and thus Voltaire is able to ironically show that nothing could be the best in Candide's world, despite that he continues to think so. The short novel is almost comical--juxtaposing the terrible and the comic so as to further emphasize the ludicrous nature of Leibnizian philosophy.

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    Posted by teacherk on Monday April 14, 2008 at 5:00 AM

  2. kuller
    kuller Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    I think because it is so exaggerated that it makes it become sarcastic. Not directly criticizing the philosopht though, it becomes satirical.

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    Posted by kuller on Thursday May 15, 2008 at 5:18 AM

  3. william08
    william08 Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    I beleive that Candide is a satire of the philosiphy of optimism because everytime something goes wrong with Candide, he somehow has good luck, and escapes. He avoided death, being arrested, etc...

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    Posted by william08 on Friday May 16, 2008 at 4:01 PM

  4. jcalascione
    jcalascione Student
    High School - 11th Grade

    i believe that candide is a satire because the book is always in contact with the kings and military. also, life in general is satarized. he makes everything a mockary. he pokes fun at everything that went against his philosophy. his philosophy was that life has a purpose, and if that reason means death, then there is a point for it.

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    Posted by jcalascione on Monday September 28, 2009 at 5:24 PM