| Candide | |
This is the frontispiece of the 1759 edition published by Sirène in Paris. A frontispiece is an elaborate decorative Illustration that appears facing the Title page of the book In Greek mythology, the Sirens ( Greek singular Seirēn; Greek plural Seirēnes) were three dangerous bird-women Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city It reads, "Candide, or Optimism. Translated from the German of Dr. Ralph. "[1] |
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| Author | Voltaire |
|---|---|
| Original title | Candide, ou l'Optimisme |
| Illustrator | Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune |
| Country | |
| Language | French |
| Genre(s) | Conte philosophique; satire; picaresque novel; bildungsroman |
| Publisher | 1759: Cramer, Marc-Michel Rey, Jean Nourse, Lambert, and others |
| Publication date | January 1759[2][3] |
| Media type | |
Candide, ou l'Optimisme (1759) is a French satire by the Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire, the title of which has been translated into English as Candide: Or, All for the Best (1759); Candide: Or, The Optimist (1762); and Candide: Or, Optimism (1947). François-Marie Arouet ( 21 November 1694 30 May 1778) better known by the Pen name Voltaire, was a French Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune ( Paris 26 March 1741 — Paris 30 November 1814) was a French draughtsman illustrator and engraver This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human The picaresque novel ( Spanish: "picaresca", from "pícaro", for " Rogue " or " Rascal " is a A bildungsroman (ˈbɪldʊŋsroˌmaːn "novel of formation" is a Novelistic genre that arose during the German Enlightenment (and is regarded by some as Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of Literature or Information &ndash the activity of making information available for public view French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human The Age of Enlightenment or The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a phase in Western philosophy and cultural life centered upon the eighteenth century Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language François-Marie Arouet ( 21 November 1694 30 May 1778) better known by the Pen name Voltaire, was a French English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States [4] This novella tells the tale of a young man, Candide (from the Latin candidus[5]), who has been indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism but becomes disillusioned after witnessing and experiencing great hardships. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. With a plot similar to that of a more serious bildungsroman or picaresque novel, Candide parodies many adventure and romance clichés. A bildungsroman (ˈbɪldʊŋsroˌmaːn "novel of formation" is a Novelistic genre that arose during the German Enlightenment (and is regarded by some as The picaresque novel ( Spanish: "picaresca", from "pícaro", for " Rogue " or " Rascal " is a Voltaire describes horrible plights of his characters in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Through the allegory of Candide, Voltaire ridicules religion and theologians, governments and armies, philosophies and philosophers; most conspicuously, he rails against Leibniz and his Optimism. [6]
Candide, Voltaire's magnum opus,[6] is a literary work which, for its biting wit and insightful portrayal of the human condition, has often been mimicked by later authors and adapted for the stage (most notable is Leonard Bernstein's 1956 comic operetta). Magnum opus (sometimes Opus magnum, plural magna opera) from the Latin meaning great work, refers to the best the greatest The human condition encompasses all of the Experience of being Human. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes [7] For these qualities, Candide is listed as part of the Western canon and taught more than any other work of French literature. The Western canon is a term used to denote a canon of books and more widely music and art, that has been the most influential in This article is a general introduction to French literature For detailed information on French literature in specific historic periods see the separate historical articles in the [8] As expected by Voltaire, Candide has enjoyed both great success and great scandal. Immediately after its secretive publication, the book was widely banned because of the contained religious blasphemy, political sedition and academic hostility hidden under a thin veil of naïveté. [6]
Contents |
A number of deadly historical events inspired Voltaire to write Candide. Not least among these are the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake; both are referred to frequently in the book and cited by analysts as the reasons for its composition. The Seven Years' War (1756&ndash1763 involved all of the major European powers of the period causing 900000 to 1400000 deaths The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, took place on November 1 1755 at around 940 in the morning [9] Apart from events, contemporaneous stereotypes of the German personality may have been a source of inspiration for the text; they were for Simplicius Simplicissimus, the 1669 novel by Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen. Simplicissimus was also a satirical German weekly inspired by this novel Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen (1621 – August 17, 1676) was a German author [10] These stereotypes, according to Voltaire biographer Alfred Owen Aldridge, include "extreme credulousness or sentimental simplicity", two of Candide's defining qualities. [10]
Among the literary works written before Candide, one finds many satirical and parodic precursors, but Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels (1726) is Candide's closest literary relative. Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 Gulliver's Travels (1726 amended 1735 officially Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World in Four Parts This satire tells the story of "a gullible ingenue", Gulliver, who, like Candide, travels to several "remote nations" and is hardened by the many misfortunes which befall him. As evidenced by similarities between the two books, Voltaire likely drew upon Gulliver's Travels in writing Candide. [11]
A number of other textual sources for Candide have been identified. Ira Wade, a noted expert on Voltaire and Candide, speculates that Voltaire's primary source for information on the Lisbon earthquake was the 1755 work Relation historique du Tremblement de Terre survenu à Lisbonne by Ange Goudar. [12][9] Candide's parody of the bildungsroman is most likely based on François Fénelon's The Adventures of Telemachus. François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, more commonly known as François Fénelon ( August 6 1651 &ndash January 7 1715) was a This article is about the figure in greek mythology For the Christian saint see Saint Telemachus, and for the South African cricketer, see Roger [13] Another probable source of inspiration for Candide is Cosmopolite (1753) by Fougeret de Monbron[14]: Monbron's protagonist undergoes a disillusioning series of travels, as does Candide. [15]
The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, tsunami and resulting fires of All Saints' Day had a strong influence on theologians of the day—and on Voltaire, who was himself disillusioned by them. A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when For the British girl group see All Saints (band. All Saints' Day (also called All Hallows or Hallowmas) often Philosophers could not reconcile these disasters with Optimism, a philosophical system which implies that such events should not occur. After the earthquake, Voltaire rejected Leibnizian Optimism, believing that if this were the best possible world, it should surely be better than it is. In both Candide and Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne ("Poem on the Lisbon Disaster"), Voltaire attacks this Optimism. The Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne ( Poem on the Lisbon Disaster) was a Poem in French composed by Voltaire, regarding the 1755 Lisbon [16] He uses the Lisbon Earthquake in Candide and his Poème to argue this point, sarcastically describing the catastrophe as one of the most horrible disasters "in the best of possible worlds". [12]
It is unknown exactly when Voltaire wrote Candide,[17] but scholars estimate that it was primarily composed in late 1758 and begun as early as 1757[18]: Voltaire is believed to have written a portion of it while at his house in Ferney and also while visiting Charles-Théodore, the Elector-Palatinate at Schwetzingen, for three weeks in the summer of 1758. Nicolas de Largillière ( October 10, 1656 - March 20, 1746) French painter, was born in Paris. Ferney-Voltaire is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. Schwetzingen is a German Town situated in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, around 10 km (6 miles southwest of Heidelberg and 15 km (9 miles southeast Despite solid evidence for these claims, a popular legend persists that Voltaire wrote Candide in the span of three days. This idea is probably based on a misreading of the work La Vie intime de Voltaire aux Délices et à Ferney by Perey and Maugras. Marguerite Catherine Perey (19 October 1909 &ndash 13 May 1975 was a French Physicist. [19][20] In fact, the evidence indicates strongly that Voltaire did not rush nor improvise Candide, but worked on it for a significant period of time, even a whole year. Candide is mature and well-developed, not impromptu, as the choppy plot and the aforementioned myth suggest. [21]
Candide underwent one major revision after its initial publication, in addition to some minor ones. In 1761, a version of Candide was published which included, along with many small tweaks, a major addition by Voltaire to the twenty-second chapter, a section that had been thought weak by the Duke of Vallière. [22] The English title of this edition was Candide, or Optimism. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Translated from the German of Dr. Ralph. With the additions found in the Doctor's pocket when he died at Minden, in the Year of Grace 1759. In the Battle of Minden, a Prussian - Hanoverian - British army under Prince Ferdinand defeated a French army under the Marquis [23] The last edition of Candide authorized by Voltaire was the one included in Cramer's 1775 compilation, l'éditions encadrées, meaning "supervised editions". [24][25]
It has been known with reasonable certainty that Voltaire published Candide simultaneously in five countries no later than 15 January 1759. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1759 ( MDCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year [3][26] But seventeen versions of Candide from 1759 are known today, and there has been great controversy over which is the earliest. [3] In addition, Candide was translated once into Italian and thrice into English that same year. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States [2]
The complicated science of calculating the relative publication dates of all of the versions of Candide is described at length in I. O. Wade's article "The First Edition of Candide: A Problem of Identification". The publication process was extremely secretive, likely the "most clandestine work of the century", because of its obviously illicit and irreverent content. [27] The greatest number of copies of Candide were published concurrently in Geneva by Cramer, in Amsterdam by Marc-Michel Rey, in London by Jean Nourse, and in Paris by Lambert. Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city [27]
There is only one extant manuscript of Candide that was written before the work's 1759 publication. In 1956, Ira O. Wade discovered this, since named the La Vallière Manuscript, which is believed to have been sent, chapter by chapter, by Voltaire himself to the Duke and Duchess La Vallière in the autumn of 1758. [3] The manuscript was sold to the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal in the late 1700s, where it remained undiscovered for almost 200 years. [28] The La Vallière Manuscript, the most original and authentic of all surviving copies of Candide, was likely dictated by Voltaire to his secretary, Wagnière, then edited directly. [29][30]
In addition to this manuscript, there is believed to have been another, one copied by Wagnière for the Elector Charles-Théodore, who hosted Voltaire during the summer of 1758. The existence of this copy was first postulated by Norman L. Torrey in 1929. [31][30]
Voltaire strongly opposed the inclusion of illustrations in his works, as he stated in a 1778 letter to Charles Joseph Panckoucke:
"Je crois que des Estampes seraient fort inutiles. Charles-Joseph Panckoucke ( Lille, 26 November 1736 - 19 December 1798) was a French writer and publisher, notable Ces colifichets n’ont jamais été admis dans les éditions de Cicéron, de Virgile et d’Horace. "
"I believe that these [illustrations]] will prove quite useless. These baubles have never been allowed in the works of Cicero, Virgil and Horace. Marcus Tullius Cicero ( Classical Latin ˈkikeroː usually ˈsɪsərəʊ in English January 3, 106 BC &ndash December 7, 43 BC was a Roman Publius Vergilius Maro ( October 15, 70 BCE &ndash September 21, 19 BCE later called Virgilius, and known in English as Virgil or Quintus Horatius Flaccus, ( Venosa, December 8, 65 BC - Rome, November 27, 8 BC known in the English-speaking world as Horace "[32]
Despite this protest, two sets of illustrations for Candide were produced by French artist Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune. Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune ( Paris 26 March 1741 — Paris 30 November 1814) was a French draughtsman illustrator and engraver The first version was done, at Moreau's own expense, in 1787 and included in Kehl's publication of that year, Oeuvres Complètes de Voltaire. [33] Four images were drawn by Moreau for this edition; these were engraved by Pierre-Charles Baquoy. [34] The second version, in 1803, consisted of seven drawings by Moreau; these were transposed by multiple engravers. [35] Twentieth-century modern artist Paul Klee, notably, relates it was while reading Candide that he discovered his own artistic style. Klee illustrated the work, and his drawings were published in a 1920 version edited by Kurt Wolff. Kurt Wolff ( 3 March 1887 &ndash 21 October 1963) was a German publisher editor writer and Journalist. [36]
Candide contains thirty chapters which may be grouped together by two main schemes. Some readers divide the book into two parts separated by the hiatus in El Dorado: the first part constituting the rising action, and the last being the resolution. El Dorado ( Spanish for "the golden one") is a Legend that began with the story of a South American tribal chief who covered himself In the narrative of a work of fiction rising action is what occurs leading up to the Climax. Falling action is the part of a story usually found in tragedies and short stories, following the climax and showing the effects of the climax This view is supported by the strong theme of travel and quest, reminiscent of adventure and picaresque novels. Indeed, after wandering aimlessly, Candide discovers that his love is alive, and the theme of adventure increases as he sets out to find her. [37] As noted by Ervin Beck (professor emeritus of English),and Elizabeth Cooney Leister, (author of Voltaire's Candide: Barron's Book Notes), the thirty chapters may also be grouped into three parts, each comprising ten chapters and defined by its setting: I–X are in Europe, XI–XX are in America, and XXI–XXX are in Europe and the Ottoman Empire. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish [38][39] This is the scheme used below because it is easier to reference (having more divisions). The version of Candide summarised below includes Voltaire's additions of 1761 (see also: Writing). --> Candide ou l'Optimisme (1759 is a French Satire by the Enlightenment Philosopher Voltaire, English translations of which
The tale of Candide begins in the castle of the Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh in Westphalia, home to the Baron's daughter, Lady Cunégonde; bastard nephew Candide; a tutor, Pangloss; a chambermaid, Paquette; and the rest of the Baron's family. Westphalia (Westfalen) is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Bielefeld, Bochum, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Münster Maid is also a shortened form of " Maiden " an archaic word for an unmarried woman or a Virgin. The protagonist, Candide, is drawn romantically to Cunégonde. The Protagonist or main character is the central figure of a story. He is a child of "the most unaffected simplicity", whose face is "the index of his mind". [13]
Dr. Pangloss, professor of "métaphysico-théologo-cosmolonigologie" and self-proclaimed Optimist, may have been based on Louisa Dorothea von Meiningen, duchess of Saxe-Gotha, a Leibnizian with whom Voltaire corresponded regularly. --> Candide ou l'Optimisme (1759 is a French Satire by the Enlightenment Philosopher Voltaire, English translations of which [40] The name "Pangloss" is derived from the Greek words πᾶν (all) and γλῶσσα (tongue), implying the emptiness of this character's statements. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly [41] Pangloss teaches his pupils that they live in the "best of all possible worlds" ("ce meilleur des mondes possibles") and that "all is for the best" ("tout est au mieux"). Candide believes him, for he thinks he is very lucky.
All is well, until Cunégonde accidentally sees Pangloss sexually engaged with Paquette in some bushes. Encouraged by this show of affection, Cunégonde drops her handkerchief next to Candide which entices him to kiss her. For this infraction, Candide is evicted from the castle, at which point he is captured by Bulgar recruiters and coerced into military service. For attempted desertion, Candide is flogged and nearly executed, before being forced to engage in a large battle between the Bulgars and the Abares. Candide successfully escapes the army and makes his way to Holland where he is given aid by Jacques, an Anabaptist, who restores Candide's Optimism. Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation Soon after, Candide finds his master Pangloss, now a beggar with syphilis. Syphilis is a Sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal Bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum.
Pangloss reveals he was infected with this disease by Paquette and shocks Candide by relating how Castle Thunder-ten-Tronckh was destroyed by Bulgars; Cunégonde and her whole family were killed. Pangloss is cured of his illness by Jacques, losing one eye and one ear in the process, then the three sail to Lisbon. Lisbon (Lisboa liʒˈboɐ is the Capital and largest city of Portugal. However, just at the end of their journey, they are overtaken by a vicious storm which destroys the boat. The only survivors are Pangloss, Candide, and a "brutish sailor"[42] (Fr. matelot furieux}}). Almost as soon as these three set foot in Lisbon, the city is hit by an earthquake, tsunami and fire which kill tens of thousands.
In the wake of the destruction, Candide and Pangloss are arrested by the Portuguese Inquisition for their uncommon philosophy, and set to be executed in an "auto-da-fé," a ceremony designed to eliminate heretics, appease God and prevent another disaster. The Portuguese Inquisition was formally established in Portugal in 1536 at the request of the King of Portugal, João III. The phrase auto de fe refers to the ritual of public Penance of condemned heretics and Apostates that took place when the Spanish Inquisition Candide is flogged and sees Pangloss hanged, but another earthquake follows. Candide is then approached by an "old woman"[43]}}, (Fr. la vieille), who asks him to follow her.
The old woman takes Candide to a house where Lady Cunégonde waits, alive, to relate her story: after Bulgars raided the baron's castle, killed her family, and attacked her, Cunégonde was rescued by a captain and, in turn, sold her to a Don Issachar, Jewish merchant and banker. Captain is the traditional customary title given to the person in charge in command of a Ship at sea When Candide finds Cunégonde, her ownership is shared by this Don Issachar and a Grand Inquisitor, each possessing the girl on alternate days of the week. Grand Inquisitor ( Latin: Inquisitor Generalis) is the lead official of an Inquisition. Having heard this story, Candide kills both the Issachar and the Inquisitor, then escapes with Cunégonde and the old woman to Cadiz. Cádiz ( Spanish:) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the province of the same name, a province which is one of eight [44]
The trio embarks for the port at Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern While on the boat, the old woman claims that compared to her, the other two know nothing of suffering, and when Cunégonde replies by detailing the list of horrors she has had to endure, the old woman begins her own story of how she came to be a servant of the Don Issachar. [44] In Buenos Aires, Govenor Don Fernando de Ibaraa, y Figueora, y Mascarenes, y Lampurdos, y Suza, asks to marry Cunégonde. Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern Just then, a ship arrives looking to burn Candide at the stake for killing the Grand Inquisitor.
Candide escapes to Paraguay by following the advice of his practical manservant, heretofore unmentioned, named Cacambo (from the Spanish word "caca"[45]). Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guaraní: Tetã Paraguái) is one of the only At a border post on the way, Cacambo and Candide speak to the commandant, who turns out to be Cunégonde's brother. It has been suggested to create a new article named Checkpoint (security and that this article should be a sub-article to the new article Commandant (pronounced /'cɒmʊndɑnt/ or /'cɒmʊndænt/ COM-un-dahnt, -dant is a military or police title or rank This brother explains how he was saved by Jesuits and came to be there. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order [44] The character of this brother is likely based on Frederick the Great, the King of Prussia, with whom Voltaire corresponded. Frederick II (Friedrich II January 24 1712 August 17 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740&ndash1786 from the [46]
When Candide proclaims he intends to marry Cunégonde, the brother is enraged and strikes Candide with the flat of his sword. Candide kills his attacker, steals his robe and flees with Cacambo. In their flight, Candide and Cacambo come across two naked women being chased and bitten by a pair of monkeys. Candide, seeking to protect the women, shoots and kills the monkeys, but is informed by Cacambo that the monkeys and women were probably lovers.
Candide and Cacambo wander into El Dorado, a geographically isolated utopia where the streets are covered with precious stones, there exist no priests, and all of the king's jokes are funny. El Dorado ( Spanish for "the golden one") is a Legend that began with the story of a South American tribal chief who covered himself Utopia is a name for an ideal community taken from the title of a book written in 1516 by Sir Thomas More describing a fictional Island in the [47] Candide and Cacambo stay a month in El Dorado, but Candide is still in pain without Cunégonde, and expresses to the king his wish to leave. The king points out that this is a foolish idea, but generously helps them do so. The pair continue their journey, now accompanied by one hundred red pack sheep carrying provisions and incredible sums of money.
The sheep die, a few at a time, until only two animals are left. Candide and Cacambo reach Surinam, where they split up: Cacambo goes to Buenos Aires to retrieve Lady Cunégonde, and Candide travels to Venice to wait for his arrival. Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Candide's remaining sheep are stolen, and Candide is fined heavily by a Dutch magistrate for petulance over the theft. Candide finds a ship to take him to Bordeaux and despairingly hires a desperate companion with whom to travel. ( Gascon: Bordèu) is a port city in southwest France, with one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area at a 2008 estimate
This companion, Martin, discusses Pangloss's philosophy with Candide and reveals that he himself is a Manichean scholar from Amsterdam. Manichaeism (in Modern Persian fa-Arab آیین مانی Āyin e Māni; Chinese zh 摩尼教 was one of the major Gnostic Religions originating Scholarly method &mdash or as it is more commonly called scholarship &mdash is the body of principles and practices used by scholars to make their claims about the world as Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west Martin represents a chief opponent of Leibniz, the pessimist Pierre Bayle. Pierre Bayle ( November 18, 1647 December 28, 1706) was a French Philosopher and writer [48] While on the ship to France, Candide and Martin witness the destruction of the ship which carried the stolen red sheep. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Fortunately, Candide is able to recover one sheep from the sinking vessel. For the remainder of the voyage, Martin and Candide argue about philosophy. After a stay in Paris, Candide and Martin flee for England and then Venice. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city
There, Candide and Martin meet Paquette, the chambermaid who infected Pangloss with his syphilis. She is now a prostitute, and she is spending her time with a monk, Brother Giroflée. Though both appear happy on the surface, they reveal their despair: Paquette has led a miserable existence as a sexual object, and the monk detests the religious order in which he was indoctrinated.
Candide and Martin visit the wealthy nobleman Signor Pococurante (meaning "taking little care" in Italian) in his palace. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. This man is surrounded by beautiful girls, wonderful paintings, books and music which greatly impress Candide. Pococurante, however, is unimpressed with it all: he finds no pleasure in anything, for he sees only faults.
Later, while Candide and Martin are eating supper, Cacambo returns and tells them that Cunégonde is in Constantinople, and that she has been enslaved. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS In the twenty-seventh chapter, Candide, Martin and Cacambo are reunited and board a ship to Constantinople, on which Cacambo relates Cunégonde's status: she is washing dishes for a prince of Transylvania, and she has become ugly. Transylvania (Ardeal or ro ''Transilvania'' Erdély, see also other denominations) is a Central European region located in the eastern half of the Carpathian On the way to rescue her, Candide again finds Pangloss and Lady Cunégonde's brother the baron rowing the galley. Candide buys their freedom and further passage at steep prices. [44]
The baron and Pangloss relate their survival stories which, despite their horrors, have not shaken Pangloss's Optimism. According to the philosopher, "I still hold to my original opinions, because, after all, I'm a philosopher, and it wouldn't be proper for me to recant, since Leibniz cannot be wrong, and since preestablished harmony is the most beautiful thing in the world, along with the plenum and subtle matter. "[49] The travelers arrive in Transylvania where they rejoin Cunégonde and the old woman, the former of whom has become hideously ugly; Candide nevertheless buys their freedom and marries Cunégonde to spite her brother. Paquette and Brother Giroflée, too, are reconciled with Candide on his farm, their only property left.
One day, the protagonists seek out a dervish known as a great philosopher of the land. Darvesh or Dervish ( Arabic and Persian: درویش) as it is known in European languages refers to members of Sufi Pangloss asks why Man is made to suffer so, and what they all ought to do. The dervish responds by asking why Pangloss is concerned about the existence of evil and good. Pangloss is clueless and cannot grasp the dervish's point. The dervish continues, describing human beings as mice on a ship sent by a king to Egypt; their comfort does not matter to the king. Pangloss is still oblivious, and the dervish responds by slamming his door on the group. Returning to their farm, Candide, Pangloss and Martin meet a Turk whose philosophy is to devote his life only to simple work and not concern oneself to external affairs. He and his four children work a small farm to keep "free of three great evils: boredom, vice and necessity". Struck by this statement, Candide concludes that all he knows is that "we must cultivate our garden. " Candide, Pangloss, Martin, Cunégonde, Paquette, the old woman and Brother Giroflée all set to work (on this "louable dessein", "commendable plan", as the narrator calls it), each to one specific task. Candide ignores Pangloss's insistence that all turned out for the best by necessity, and he is resolved only that "we must cultivate our garden". [50]
As Voltaire himself described it, the purpose of Candide was to "bring amusement to a small number of men of wit". [13] The author achieves this goal, according to literary analysts, by combining his sharp wit with a fun parody of the classic adventure-romance plot. As the initially naïve protagonist eventually comes to a mature conclusion – however noncommittal – the novella is bildungsroman, that is, a parody of a one. A bildungsroman (ˈbɪldʊŋsroˌmaːn "novel of formation" is a Novelistic genre that arose during the German Enlightenment (and is regarded by some as [10] Candide is confronted with horrible events described in painstaking detail so often that it becomes humorous. Frances K. Barasch, literary analyst, described Voltaire's matter-of-fact narrative as treating topics such as mass death "as coolly as a weather report". The fast-paced and improbable plot – in which characters repeatedly narrowly escape death, for instance – allows for compounding tragedies to befall the same characters over and over again. [51] In the end, Candide is primarily, as described by Voltaire's biographer Ian Davidson, "short, light, rapid and humorous". [6][52]
The main method of Candide's satire is to ironically contrast great tragedy and comedy by juxtaposing them. [6] The book does not invent or exaggerate evils of the world; it only displays real ones starkly, allowing Voltaire to simplify subtle philosophies and cultural traditions, highlighting their flaws. [51] Thus Candide derides Optimism, for instance, with a deluge of horrible, historical (or at least plausible) events with no apparent redeeming qualities. [13][53]
A simple example of the satire of Candide is seen in the treatment of the historical event witnessed by Candide and Martin in Portsmouth harbour. History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which There, the duo spy an admiral being executed for failing to properly engage a French fleet. The admiral is blindfolded and shot in the head on the deck of his own boat, merely "to encourage the others. John Byng ( October 29, 1704 &ndash March 14, 1757) was a British Admiral who was Court-martialled and executed " This depiction of military punishment trivialises Byng's death. The dry, pithy explanation thus satirises a serious historical event in characteristic fashion.
Voltaire depicts the worst of the world and his pathetic hero's desperate effort to fit it into his Optimistic outlook. Much of the work is a treatment of evil. Rarely does Voltaire diverge from this technique, but there is at least one notable exception: his description of El Dorado, a fantastic village in which the inhabitants are simply rational, and their society is just and reasonable. El Dorado ( Spanish for "the golden one") is a Legend that began with the story of a South American tribal chief who covered himself The positivity of El Dorado may be contrasted with the pessimistic attitude of the majority of the book. [13][54]
Another element of the satire focuses on what William F. Bottiglia, author of many published works on Candide, calls the "sentimental foibles of the age" and Voltaire's attack on them. [55] Flaws in European culture are highlighted as Candide parodies adventure and romance clichés, mimicking the style of a picaresque novel. The picaresque novel ( Spanish: "picaresca", from "pícaro", for " Rogue " or " Rascal " is a [55] A number of archetypal characters thus have recognizable manifestations in Voltaire's work: Candide is the drifting rogue of low social class; Cunégonde is the object of Candide's sexual interest; Pangloss is the knowledgeable mentor to the main character; Cacambo is the typical valet of the genre. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures. [13] Of course, Candide is not a rogue, Cunégonde becomes ugly and Pangloss is painted to be a fool: the characters of Candide are unrealistic, two-dimensional, mechanical, and even marionette-like; they are simplistic and stereotypical. A marionette is a Puppet controlled from above using strings a marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. [56][57]
Gardens are thought by many critics to play a critical symbolic role in Candide. The first location commonly identified as a garden is the castle of the Baron, from which Candide and Cunégonde are evicted much in the same fashion as Adam and Eve are in Genesis. Adam (אָדָם ʼĀḏām, "dust man mankind" آدم; Ge'ez: አዳ and Eve (חַוָּה Ḥawwā, "living Cyclically, the main characters of Candide conclude the novel in a garden of their own making, one which might represent celestial paradise. The third most prominent "garden" is El Dorado, which may be symbolically a false Eden. El Dorado ( Spanish for "the golden one") is a Legend that began with the story of a South American tribal chief who covered himself [58] Other possible symbolic gardens include the Jesuit pavilion, the garden of Pococurante, Cacambo's garden, and the Turk's garden. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order
These gardens are likely references to the Garden of Eden, but it has also been proposed (by Bottiglia, for example) that the gardens refer to the Encyclopédie, and that Candide's conclusion to cultivate his garden symbolizes Voltaire's great support for this endeavour. Not to be confused with Eden Gardens.The Garden of Eden ( Hebrew "pleasure" גַּן עֵדֶן Arabic: جنات عدن, Encyclopédie ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences des arts et des métiers (Encyclopedia or a systematic dictionary of the sciences arts and crafts was a general [59] Another possibility is that Candide's resolution refers merely to the necessary occupation of Candide with feeding himself. There was also meaning for the author personally: Voltaire himself was a gardener at his estates in Les Délices and Ferney. Les Délices, or "The Delights" was a Geneva home of Voltaire, a French Enlightenment Writer and Philosopher Ferney-Voltaire is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. [60][61]
Candide satirizes various philosophical and religious theories that Voltaire had previously criticized. Primary among these is Leibnizian Optimism (sometimes called "Panglossianism" after its fictional proponent), which Voltaire ridicules with the description of seemingly endless calamity. [6] In this process, Voltaire demonstrates a variety of irredeemable evils in the world, leading many critics to contend that Voltaire's treatment of evil – specifically the theological problem of its existence – is the main focus of the work. Evil, in many cultures is used to describe acts or thoughts which are contrary to some particular religion [62] Heavily referenced in the text are the Lisbon earthquake, disease, and the sinking of ships in storms. War, thievery, and murder – evils of human design – are explored as extensively in Candide as environmental ills. Bottiglia notes Voltaire is "comprehensive" in his enumeration of the world's evils. He is unrelenting in attacking Optimism. [63]
Fundamental to Voltaire's attack is Candide's tutor Pangloss, a self-proclaimed follower of Leibniz and a teacher of his doctrine. Ridicule of Pangloss's theories thus ridicules Leibniz himself, and Pangloss's reasoning is silly at best. For example, Pangloss's first teachings of the narrative absurdly mix up cause and effect:
Il est démontré, disait-il, que les choses ne peuvent être autrement; car tout étant fait pour une fin, tout est nécessairement pour la meilleure fin. Remarquez bien que les nez ont été faits pour porter des lunettes; aussi avons-nous des lunettes.
"It is demonstrable," said he, "that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end. Observe, for instance, the nose is formed for spectacles, therefore we wear spectacles. "[64]
Following such flawed reasoning even more doggedly than Candide, Pangloss defends Optimism. Whatever their horrendous fortune, Pangloss reiterates "Tout est pour le mieux" and proceeds to "justify" the evil event's occurrence. A characteristic example of such theodicy is found in Pangloss's explanation of why it is good that syphilis exists:
. Syphilis is a Sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal Bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum. . . c'était une chose indispensable dans le meilleur des mondes, un ingrédient nécessaire; car si Colomb n'avait pas attrapé dans une île de l'Amérique cette maladie qui empoisonne la source de la génération, qui souvent même empêche la génération, et qui est évidemment l'opposé du grand but de la nature, nous n'aurions ni le chocolat ni la cochenille;
. . . it was a thing unavoidable, a necessary ingredient in the best of worlds; for if Columbus had not caught in an island in America this disease, which contaminates the source of generation, and frequently impedes propagation itself, and is evidently opposed to the great end of nature, we should have had neither chocolate nor cochineal. [65]
Candide, the impressionable and incompetent student of Pangloss, often tries to justify evil, fails, invokes his mentor and eventually despairs. It is by these failures that Candide is painfully cured of his Optimism.
Interestingly, this critique of Voltaire's seems to be directed almost exclusively at Leibniz and his sect of Optimism. Candide does not ridicule Voltaire's contemporary Alexander Pope, a later Optimist of slightly different convictions. Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 – 30 May 1744 is generally regarded as the greatest English Poet of the eighteenth century best known for his Satirical Indeed, Candide does not discuss Pope's Optimistic principle that "all is right", but Leibniz's that states, "this is the best of all possible worlds". However subtle the difference between the two, Candide is unambiguous as to which is its subject. Some critics conjecture that Voltaire actually meant to spare Pope this ridicule out of respect, although Voltaire's Poème may have been written for Pope. This work is similar to Candide in subject matter, but very different to it in style: the Poème embodies a more serious philosophical argument than Candide. [13]
The conclusion of the novella, in which Candide finally dismisses his tutor's Optimism, leaves unresolved what philosophy the protagonist is to accept in its stead. This element of Candide has been written about voluminously, perhaps above all others. The conclusion is enigmatic and its analysis is contentious. [66]
Voltaire develops no formal, systematic philosophy for the characters to adopt. Ferney-Voltaire is a commune in the department of Ain in eastern France. [67] Indeed, the conclusion of the novel may be thought of not as a philosophical alternative to Optimism, but as a prescribed practical outlook (though what it prescribes is in dispute). A number of critics believe that Martin is treated sympathetically, and that he represents the ideal philosophy of Candide—pessimism. Others disagree, citing Voltaire's negative description of Martin's principles and the conclusion of the work in which Martin becomes passive. [68]
Another of the primary Candide debates concerns the degree to which Voltaire was advocating a pessimistic philosophy, by which Candide and his companions give up hope for a better world, as compared to a melioristic philosophy which resigns the travelers to commit themselves to improving the world through metaphorical gardening. Meliorism is an idea in metaphysical thinking holding that progress is a real concept leading to an improvement of the world There is debate as to whether Voltaire was prescribing passive retreat from society, or active industrious contribution to it. [69]
Separate from the debate about the text's conclusion is the "Inside/outside" controversy. This argument centers on the matter of whether or not Voltaire was actually prescribing anything. Roy Wolper, professor emeritus of English, argues in a revolutionary 1969 paper that Candide does not necessarily speak for its author; that the work should be viewed as a narrative independent of Voltaire's history; and that its message is entirely (or mostly) inside it. This point of view, the "inside", specifically rejects attempts to find Voltaire's "voice" in the many characters of Candide and his other works. Indeed, writers have seen Voltaire as speaking through at least Candide, Martin and the Turk. Wolper argues that Candide should be read with a minimum of speculation as to its meaning in Voltaire's personal life. His article ushered in a new era of Voltaire studies, causing many scholars to look at the novel differently. [70][71]
Critics such as Lester Crocker, Henry Stavan, and Vivienne Mylne find too many similarities between Candide's point of view and that of Voltaire to accept the "inside" view. They believe that final resolve of Candide (the character) is the same as Voltaire's, and see a strong connection between the development of the protagonist and his author. [72]For instance, some for the opposing "outside" view believe that the isolationist philosophy of the Old Turk closely mirrors that of Voltaire. Others see a strong parallel between Candide's gardening activities at the conclusion and the habits of the author. [73] Martine Darmon Meyer argues that insiders fail to see the satirical work in context, and that denying that Candide is primarily a mockery of Optimism (a matter of historical context) is a "very basic betrayal of the text". [74][75]
| "De roman, Voltaire en a fait un, lequel est le résumé de toutes ses œuvres. . . Toute son intelligence était une machine de guerre. Et ce qui me le fait chérir, c'est le dégoût que m'inspirent les voltairiens, des gens qui rient sur les grandes choses! Est-ce qu'il riait, lui? Il grinçait. . . " Flaubert, Correspondance, éd. Conard, II, 348; III, 219[76] |
Though Voltaire did not openly admit to having written the controversial Candide until 1768 (until then he signed with a pseudonym: "Monsieur le docteur Ralph", or "Doctor Ralph"[77]), his authorship of the work was hardly disputed. A pseudonym is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name (see Alias) Immediately after publication, the work and its author were denounced by both secular and religious authorities, because the book openly derides church and government alike. [78] Nevertheless, soon after its publication, its irreverent prose was being quoted. "Let us eat a Jesuit", for instance, became a popular phrase for its reference to a humourous passage in Candide. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order [79] By the end of February 1759, The Great Council of Geneva and the administrators of Paris had banned it. [3] Candide nevertheless succeeded in selling 20,000–30,000 copies by the end of the year in over twenty editions, making it a best seller. The Duke de La Vallière speculated near the end of January 1759 that Candide might have been the fastest-selling book ever. [80] In 1762, Candide was listed in the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, the Catholic Church's list of prohibited books. The Index Librorum Prohibitorum ("List of Prohibited Books" was a list of publications prohibited by the Roman Catholic Church. [3]
Candide is the most widely read of Voltaire's many works,[81] and it is considered one of the great achievements of Western literature. [82] However, Candide is not necessarily considered a true "classic". According to Bottiglia, "The physical size of Candide, as well as Voltaire's attitude toward his fiction, precludes the achievement of artistic dimension through plenitude, autonomous '3D' vitality, emotional resonance, or poetic exaltation. Candide, then, cannot in quantity of quality, measure up to the supreme classics. " Bottiglia instead calls it a miniature classic, though others are more forgiving of its size. [83] As the only work of Voltaire which remained popular up to the present day,[84] Candide is listed in The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages. It has been named one of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die and one of the 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written. It is included in the Encyclopædia Britannica collection Great Books of the Western World. The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc Great Books of the Western World is a series of books originally published in the United States in 1952 by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc [1]
Candide has had a significant influence on modern writers of black humor such as Céline, Joseph Heller, John Barth, Thomas Pynchon, Kurt Vonnegut, and Terry Southern. Black comedy, also known as black humor or dark comedy, is a sub-genre of Comedy and Satire where topics and events that are usually regarded Louis-Ferdinand Céline was the Pen name of French writer and doctor Louis-Ferdinand Destouches (27 May 1894 &ndash 1 July 1961 Joseph Heller (May 1 1923 – December 12 1999 was an American Satirical novelist Short story writer and playwright John Simmons Barth (born May 27 1930 is an American novelist and short-story writer known for the postmodernist and metafictive quality of his work Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Jr (born May 8 1937 is an American writer based in New York City, noted for his dense and complex works of Fiction. Kurt Vonnegut Jr (November 11 1922 – April 11 2007 (ˈvɒnəgət was a prolific and genre-bending American Novelist known for works blending Satire, Black Terry Southern ( May 1, 1924 &ndash October 29, 1995) was a highly influential American short story writer novelist essayist screenwriter Its parody and picaresque methods have become favorites of black humorists. [85] Candide also inspired artists and musicians over the centuries. The definition of an artist is wide-ranging and covers a broad spectrum of Activities to do with creating Art, practicing the Arts and/or demonstrating A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a
In 1760, one year after Voltaire published Candide, a sequel to his novella was published with the name Candide, ou l'optimisme, seconde partie. Candide or Optimism — Part II is an Apocryphal Picaresque novel, possibly written by Thorel de Campigneulles ( 1737 - 1809) or [86] This work is attributed both to Thorel de Campigneulles, a writer unknown today, and Henri Joseph Du Laurens, who is suspected of having habitually plagiarised Voltaire. Henri Joseph Du Laurens (sometimes Dulaurens) (1719 1793 or 97 was a French novelist author of such works as Le compère Matthieu, Imirce ou la fille de la [87] The story continues in this sequel with Candide having new adventures in the Ottoman Empire, Persia, and Denmark. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Part II has potential use in studies of the popular and literary receptions of Candide, but is almost certainly apocryphal. [88]
Leonard Bernstein, an American composer and conductor, wrote the music to an operetta based on Voltaire's Candide. WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes Candide (1956 is an Operetta with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, based on the Novella of the same name by Voltaire WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance Conducting is the act of directing a Musical performance by way of visible gestures Operetta is a genre of light Opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter [89] It was originally conceived by playwright Lillian Hellman, as a play with incidental music. A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or Drama. Lillian Florence Hellman ( June 20, 1905 &ndash June 30, 1984) was an American playwright linked throughout her life with many Bernstein, however, was so excited about this idea that he convinced Hellman to do it as a "comic operetta". Many lyricists worked on the show, including James Agee, Dorothy Parker, John Latouche, Richard Wilbur, Leonard and Felicia Bernstein, and Hellman. James Rufus Agee (November 27 1909 &ndash May 16 1955 was an American Novelist, Journalist, Poet Dorothy Parker (August 22 1893&ndashJune 7 1967 was an American writer and poet best known for her caustic Wit, wisecracks and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles John Treville Latouche ( November 13, 1914 in Richmond Virginia – August 7, 1956 in Calais Vermont) was a musician and Richard Purdy Wilbur (born March 1, 1921) is an American Poet. Felicia Cohn Montealegre (6 February 1922 in Chile &ndash – 16 June 1978 in East Hampton) was a film and stage actor born Felicia Cohn Montealegre, the Hershy Kay orchestrated all the pieces except the overture, which Bernstein did himself. Hershy Kay (1919-1981 was an American composer arranger and orchestrator Overture ( French ouverture meaning opening in Music is the instrumental introduction to a Dramatic choral or occasionally [90]
Candide, the operetta, first opened on Broadway as a musical on December 1, 1956. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The premiere production was directed by Tyrone Guthrie and conducted by Samuel Krachmalnick. Sir William Tyrone Guthrie ( 2 July 1900 &ndash 15 May 1971) was an Anglo-Irish Tony Award -winning theatrical director [90] While this production was a box office flop, the music was highly praised, and an original cast album was made. This album gradually became a cult hit, but Hellman's libretto was criticized as being too serious an adaptation of Voltaire's novel. [91] Candide would succeed seventeen years later with a new libretto by Hugh Wheeler. Hugh Callingham Wheeler ( 19 March 1912 - 26 July 1987) was a Tony Award -winning English -born Playwright,
Candido ovvero un sogno fatto in Sicilia (1977) or simply Candido is a book by Leonardo Sciascia which was at least partly based on Voltaire's Candide. Leonardo Sciascia ( January 8, 1921 - November 20 1989) was an Italian writer and politician The actual influence of Candide on Candido is, however, a hotly debated topic. A number of theories on the matter have been proposed. One says that Candido is very similar to Candide, only with a happy ending; another claims that Voltaire provided Sciascia with only a starting point from which to work, that the two books are quite distinct. [92][93]
Nedim Gürsel wrote his 2001 novel Le voyage de Candide à Istanbul about a minor passage in Candide where its protagonist meets in passing Ahmed III, the deposed Turkish sultan. Ahmed III ( Ottoman Turkish: احمد ثالث Aḥmed-i sālis) ( December 30, 1673 &mdash July The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings This chance meeting on a ship from Venice to Istanbul is the setting of Gürsel's book. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey [94]
In addition to the above, Candide was made into a number of minor films and theatrical adaptations throughout the 20th century. For a list of these, see Voltaire: Candide ou L'Optimisme et autres contes (1989) with preface and commentaries by Pierre Malandain. [95]