Candide by Francois-Marie Arouet Voltaire is a satirical work whose main idea is challenging the widely accepted beliefs in the society. The concept of optimism is one which is heavily satirized through the experiences of the characters presented in the book. The basic idea of the novel was to challenge the beliefs and philosophies that scholars during the Enlightenment period held as the truth. According to the thinkers, God was a perfect God, and this meant that the world; his creation would be perfect. The book uses characters such as Pangloss and Candide, who hold on to the optimism that everything happens for the best. In this line of thought, evil occurs due to the inability of men to fully perceive what the perfect plan of God is.
Voltaire (1759) challenges this assumption and uses satire to contest the perception of a God that runs a perfect world to exist. Due to this form of disbelief, Voltaire attacks the idea of God being good and use satire to discredit this idea. It is achieved through taking the optimistic characters through challenging experiences, which force them to rethink their idea that everything works out for the best. Pangloss and Candide are subject to various forms of injustice while witnessing various evils done by humans, such as rape, unjustified killings, and diseases. The optimists and especially Pangloss try to philosophize their way around the cruelty shown by humans, but their theories are made to appear absurd. All this falls into the bigger plan by Voltaire (1759) to discredit the assumption that God is all good. To further prove this point, Voltaire introduces characters such as Martin, and Cacambo, who have experienced various occurrences in the world. These events have turned them to be pessimists about the goodness of God, and, therefore, represent the author’s viewpoint on the folly of optimism. The pessimistic authors represent the ideal position that the society needs to conform.
Voltaire (1759) spends much time satirizing various institutions in the society. The biggest of them is the institution of organized religion. The institution is portrayed as being led by hypocritical and corrupt leaders who should not be heeded. Through the characters presented in the novel such as the pope’s daughter, the Franciscan friar who doubles up as a thief and Jesuit colonel who is claimed to be homosexual, the folly of organized religion is seen. The institution of the church was held in high regard during this period. Due to the disbelief the author has about God, the hypocrisy seen in the actions of the religious leaders is the ultimate way through which optimism can be disregarded.
The political organization of the time is also another institution that the author satirizes. During the Enlightenment period, the church and the state were closely tied, with religious arguments being taken as the law. In a bid to discredit the political elite, Voltaire presents instances where the government, in collaboration with Catholic authorities unjustly burn people alive. Other political leaders are seen asking for sexual favors from their subjects to get justice while the rich oppress the poor. The implication here is that the political institutions of the society may be presumed to be doing good, but they are often responsible for the evils witnessed in the society. The powerless in the society often have nothing to say when the political class engages in such corrupt activity, as seen in the novel where subjects are urged not to confront to the authorities but rather concentrate on their small economic tasks.
Another institution heavily satirized is that of scholarly activity. Voltaire argues that philosophically approaching issues in the society is a folly that people should not engage in. The kind of optimism that one of the characters, Pangloss has, informs this assertion. Through the experiences her is subject to, and others he is witness to, he tries to make up philosophical arguments to explain the occurrences. The implication, of Voltaire’s presentation, is that real world evidence is what should be considered as opposed to making philosophical statements. This position presented by the author brings about the question of whether Voltaire was a philosopher since he seems to be opposed to any philosophical thought.
The literary work makes use of some characters who are a representation of various groups within the society. Candide, the main character is the representation of the larger public, which is easily swayed by the proclamations made by influential people in the society. Just like Candide is swayed by Pangloss to subscribe o the optimistic philosophical perspective, many people within the society have the blind belief that every occurrence in the world happens for the best. Experiences in life, however, go a long way in challenging this blind belief. Just like in the case of Candide, who ultimately rejects the optimistic philosophy for a more practical perception of the world, the author foresees this as the fate of the simplistic and naïve members of the society.
Pangloss is the other character who is satirized in this literary work. He represents the group within the society that subscribes to the optimistic philosophy. These are people in the society who have the firm belief that everything in the world occurs for the best. God is a central figure in all this, and he is perceived to be all good. The belief, however, as pointed out by Voltaire is flawed and is what the novel is against. The implication is that people should place more faith on the real world evidence of occurrences, as opposed to relying on philosophical arguments to explain these occurrences.
Martin is another character portrayed in this literary work and shows the extreme positions that people in the society take. Pangloss’s philosophy is majorly based on optimism, but Martin’s is based on pessimism. He represents the societal groups who are out to challenge the traditionally accepted beliefs. Optimism was the primary line of thought during the Enlightenment period, and Martin represents the extremists in the society who disregard popular belief. The views of such extremists, are, however, usually flawed and need to be disregarded for real world evidence.
Cambambo is the other satirized character in the novel, and he is presented as the ideal model people in the society should emulate. His firm belief in the law of nature, which is not compromised by any philosophical argument means that he fairs better than other characters. The implication is that trust in natural laws is the perfect way of approaching life.
Candide’s travels through the novel are a representation of the universality of the concepts pointed out in the novel. Through his journey, Candide is subject to bad luck since he experiences an earthquake in Lisbon, is shipwrecked and barely escapes with his life. All these travels, however, serve the role of building up his experience which primarily forces him to rethink his belief in philosophical arguments for optimism. The travels are also a representation of the different forms of political and religious oppressions seen in various regions of the world. Communities may be different like it is the case in Europe and the Americas, but the form of evil portrayed by people remains constant. From Candide’s travels, the author’s argument that experience is what turns naïve people into firm people not swayed by philosophical arguments takes root.
Voltaire’s work is a representation of the ideas that the writers during the Enlightenment period had. The period was characterized by thinkers who pointed out at Reason and rational thought as the right perspective in understanding the world. The thinkers, just like Voltaire were against the traditional belief in superstition. The church, just like in this novel was heavily criticized due to the hypocrisy seen in its leaders and the role it played in the formation of unjust political regimes. In this novel, Voltaire also criticizes some of the ideas presented by the Enlightenment thinkers. The overdependence on philosophical thought and, in particular, the support of optimism is a factor he did not agree with.
Works Cited
Voltaire, Francois-Marie Arouet. Candide . 1759.
