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Voltaire

Candide

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Candide, ou l'Optimisme (1759) is a French satire by the Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire, English translations of which have been titled Candide: Or, All for the Best (1759); Candide: Or, The Optimist (1762); and Candide: Or, Optimism (1947). The novella begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism (or simply optimism) by his tutor, Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this existence, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not outright rejecting optimism, advocating an enigmatic precept, «we must cultivate our garden», in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, «all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds».
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129 printed pages
Translator
Tobias Smollett

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  • Jannina del Rioshared an impression7 years ago
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    • b5226708365shared an impression7 years ago
      👍Worth reading
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      🚀Unputdownable
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      • Kimishared an impression9 years ago
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        Quotes

        • Josue Riverahas quoted9 years ago
          I have been a hundred times upon the point of killing myself, but still I was fond of life. This ridiculous weakness is, perhaps, one of the dangerous principles implanted in our nature. For what can be more absurd than to persist in carrying a burden of which we wish to be eased? to detest, and yet to strive to preserve our existence? In a word, to caress the serpent that devours us, and hug him close to our bosoms till he has gnawed into our hearts?
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        • Anjahas quoted4 months ago
          "But then, to what end," said Candide, "was the world formed?"
          "To make us mad," said Martin.
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          • Nandini Morehas quoted7 months ago
            "I think no such thing, I assure you; I find that all in this world is set the wrong end uppermost. No one knows what is his rank, his office, nor what he does, nor what he should do. With the exception of our evenings, which we generally pass tolerably merrily, the rest of our time is spent in idle disputes and quarrels, Jansenists against Molinists, the Parliament against the Church, and one armed body of men against another; courtier against courtier, husband against wife, and relations against relations. In short, this world is nothing but one continued scene of civil war."
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