Voltaire and Candide

If this is the best of all possible worlds, then I’d hate to see what the

worst is like…

A. The purpose of philosophy

1. Definition: A love of knowledge and learning; philosophers seek to understand the nature of existence

2. Why are we here – what is our purpose?3. What is truth?4. From where does all matter come?5. What is the nature of man?6. Why does evil exist?

B. The Eighteenth century and philosophes

1. Philosophe: an Enlightenment philosopher

a. Natural rightsb. Tolerancec. Opposed institutions

based on privilege/tradition

B. The Eighteenth century and Philosophes

2. Can you be too positive?a. Leibniz – “God assuredly chooses always what is best.”b. Others believed that institutions, laws could be reformed to make “the best of all possible world” – through philosophy and scholarshipc. We don’t always understand God – maybe it’s good and we just don’t get it (Pope)d. And then there’s Voltaire and Candide

C. Background to Candide

1. Targeted response to Leibniz, optimists

2. Response to the Lisbon earthquake in 1755

3. Candide shows how human beings create human sufferings

C. Background to Candide

4. Plota. Candide (from the word “candid”) – an innocent, a tabula rasa (blank slate)b. Believes that all is goodc. Suffers greatly – in a variety of localesd. In the end, learns the secret to true happinesse. Picaresque – Candide is a picaro

D. Points to ponder while reading

1. Allusion – what does it mean when the story begins in a garden?

2. What is the inherent irony behind El Dorado?3. Do you see any connections – in theme, in character, in

style – between Candide and Don Quixote? Gulliver? A Modest Proposal

4. For all its focus on reason, this is a fairly idealistic era. What dangers of idealism does Candide illustrate?

5. Of all the miseries they have suffered, which is the worst? Conversely, of all the opportunities they encounter, in which does Candide find the most happiness? – Life lesson?

E. The text

1. Setting 2. Plot/conflict3. Characters –

a. Candideb. Baron/Baronessc. Master Panglossd. Cunegunde. Cacambo/Martin