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 lighthearted thought. One of the most pro order philosophers was the creator of this theory of optimism, G.W. von Leibniz. Leibniz claimed that everything that happened was continuously for the best and that there was no other way it could come through happened. Though most enlightenment writers believed in this view, Voltaire did non. Thus, he rechewed food out to write Candide, which would become one of the most changeless and most influential satires ever written, even after the monastic order it was written for had died off. In the book, Voltaire is criticizing the enlightenment philosophy of optimism, corrupt and old 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-wracking to believe this thought. Here, he falls in love with the line of merchandise leaders daughter Cunégonde. One night, he is found petting her and is promptly exiled because he is not of ! high plenteous class. This starts a chain of events that really show the backwards friendship 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 retrieve a full essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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