"Candide" Voltaire: analysis of the work, the main idea and idea. "Candide, or Optimism": a summary

"Candide" Voltaire - a philosophical satirical story, which was created in the middle of the eighteenth century, but for a while it was forbidden due to a large number of obscene scenes. In the work we are talking about optimism and pessimism, human vices and belief in the best qualities of man.

History of writing

Voltaire is a French Enlightenment writer . He created a number of philosophical works of art, not devoid of sharp accusatory satire. Voltaire extremely disliked the power of the church, as he repeatedly spoke about. He was an ardent fighter against idealism and religion and relied exclusively on scientific achievements in his philosophical treatises.

As for such an abstract concept as "happiness," Voltaire wrote an adventure story about the optimist Candide, who, despite all the blows of fate, did not lose faith in goodness, sincerity and honesty in order to present his position on this difficult issue. The basis of this work was the real event - the earthquake in Lisbon. It is this terrible natural phenomenon that occupies a central place in one of the most famous stories that Voltaire wrote.

"Candide, or Optimism" is a work from which the author refused several times, claiming that it allegedly does not belong to his pen. Nevertheless, there is a satire characteristic of Voltaire in the story. "Candide" is one of the best works of the French Enlightener. What did Voltaire tell the readers in this story? Candide, the analysis of which will be presented below, is a story that may seem at first glance to be nothing more than fun and entertaining. And only with a detailed examination can we find the deep philosophical thought that Voltaire aspired to convey to his contemporaries.

Candide: summary

The protagonist of this story is a pure and unspoiled youth. He owes his optimistic outlook on life to the teacher, who, from childhood, has convinced him of the inevitability of happiness. Panglass, that is the name of this spiritual philosopher, was sure that he lives in the best of all worlds. There is no reason to grieve.

But one day, Candida was banished from her castle. The reason for this was the beautiful Kunigunda, the daughter of the baron, to whom he was by no means indifferent. And the hero began to wander around the world, dreaming of only one thing - to reunite with his beloved and to know the real happiness. In the fact that it still exists, Candid did not doubt for a moment, despite all the misfortunes and adversities.

The adventures of the hero were given by Voltaire. Candide, saving Kunigund, every now and then killed someone. He did it quite naturally. As if murder is the most typical activity for an optimist. But the sacrifices of Candida magically revived.

Many Candida learned. He knew a lot of grief. He managed to rejoin Kunigunda, however, only after the girl lost all her former attraction. Candide found a home and friends. But what is happiness, he was still unknown. Until one day the truth was revealed to him by an unknown sage. "Happiness is a daily work," said the wandering philosopher. Candide had no choice but to believe and begin to cultivate his small garden.

Composition

As already mentioned, Voltaire was inspired to write this story after the famous Lisbon earthquake. Candide, or Optimism, is a work in which a historical event serves as a starting point. In the composition, it occupies a central place. It is during the depiction of the earthquake that the events in the story reach their climax.

After the expulsion from the castle and before the disaster, Candide wanders around the world aimlessly. The earthquake activates its forces. Candide Voltaire becomes a noble hero, ready to do everything in order to rescue the lady of the heart. And Kunigunda meanwhile, possessing unearthly feminine beauty, causes in men far not the best thoughts. The Bulgarian Jew abducts her and makes her a concubine. The Grand Inquisitor, too, does not remain aloof. But suddenly Candide appears and destroys both the first and the second. Subsequently, the hero gets rid of his beloved brother. The pompous baron allegedly does not like the origin of the liberator of the beautiful Kunigunda.

Candide Voltaire reminds the knight Cervantes nobility, purity of thoughts. But the philosophical idea of the work of the French writer has little in common with the position of the great Spaniard.

El Dorado

The political background is also not without the book Candide. Voltaire sends his wanderer to wander around the world. He becomes a witness of important historical events. Candide visits European cities, South America, countries of the Middle East. He observes the military actions of the Spaniards against the Jesuits, the cruel customs of the contemporaries of Voltaire. And he begins to realize gradually that the optimistic teacher has not given him a single lesson. All his rant about the beauty of this world is not worth a fucking penny ...

But nevertheless Voltaire does not deprive his hero of last hope. Candide continually hears stories about a beautiful land in which people do not know grief and sorrow, have everything they need, are not angry, do not envy, and certainly do not kill.

Candide Voltaire, by the way, bears a symbolic name. It means "simple-minded." Candide falls into a mythical state in which all the inhabitants are happy. They do not ask for material wealth from the Supreme. They just thank him for what they already have. This fabulous land Voltaire in his philosophical story opposes the real world. People whom Candide meets throughout the narrative, regardless of their social status, do not know what happiness is. It is not easy for ordinary people and noble people to live.

Once in a mythical country, Candide decides to return to his bleak world. After all, he must once again save Kunigund.

Pessimism

Optimism of Candida contrasted with the pessimism of his escort. Marten believes only that people are mired in vices, and nothing can change them for the better. On what philosophical idea is based the work that Voltaire wrote? "Candide", the content of which is outlined above only briefly, is able to convince that this world is actually ugly. Faith in good can only destroy a person. Candide, being a sincere person, trusts scammers and rascals, as a result of which his situation becomes sadder every day. He is deceived by the merchant. Noble actions in society are not appreciated, and Candida is threatened with prison.

Venice

What did Voltaire aspire to say in the philosophical novel? Candide, the summary of which is presented in this article, is a story that can occur in modern society. The hero of Voltaire goes to Venice in the hope of finding his beloved there. But in an independent republic, he also witnesses human cruelty. Here he meets a servant from the castle, in which he spent his childhood. The woman was forced to take an extreme step: she makes a living by prostitution.

Cheerful Venetian

Candide helped a woman. But the money that he gave her, did not bring happiness. The hero still does not give up hope of finding happiness or at least to meet the person who knew him. And so fate brings him to a Venetian aristocrat, who, according to rumors, is always in a cheerful mood and knows no sadness. But here, Candida lies in wait for disappointment. The Venetian rejects beauty and finds happiness only in the discontent of others.

Life on the farm

It is worth saying that Candide is gradually disappointed in the philosophy of absolute optimism, but does not become a pessimist. There are two opposite points of view in the story. One belongs to the teacher Panglass. The other is for Marten.

Candida was able to redeem Kunigund from slavery, and to buy a small farm for the remaining money. Here, they settled to complete their misadventures, but they did not immediately achieve spiritual harmony. Vain words and philosophical ranting became a permanent occupation of the inhabitants of the farm. Until one day Candida did not visit the happy old man.

"We must cultivate the garden"

Leibniz gave birth to the philosophical idea of universal harmony. The French writer was impressed by the worldview of the German thinker. However, after the earthquake, Voltaire published a poem in which he completely rejected the doctrine of the balance of good and evil. Finally, the Enlightener succeeded in debunking Leibniz's theory in the story of the adventures of Candide.

"We must cultivate the garden" - this is the idea that Voltaire uses in the last chapter, with the help of one of the characters. Candide, or Optimism, the summary of which gives only a general idea of the author's philosophical idea, a work that should be read, if not in the original, then at least completely, from cover to cover. After all, the emotional torment of the Voltaire hero is known to the modern man. Happiness is a steady and constant work. Reflections and reasoning about the meaning of life can only lead to despair. In place of contemplation must necessarily come action.