The Use of Satire in Voltaire’s Candide by Gottfried...

The Use of Satire in Voltaire’s Candide Satire. According to dictionary.com it is â€Å"the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize peoples stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues†. During a time when going against the common mindset, which at the time was philosophical optimism, was rare and often looked down upon, using satire in order to not only communicate one’s beliefs but also mock those who shared the mainstream train of thought was key. The use of satire in Voltaires Candide aids in the exhibition of his pessimistic mindset towards the social, religious, philosophical, political, and scientific beliefs that were favored during the Age of†¦show more content†¦Despite not believing that God created the best possible world to live in, Voltaire did believe in God. The European Graduate School published a biography of Voltaire which remarked Voltaire was also a f ierce critique of religious traditions but that is not to say that he was averse to the idea of a supreme being. His understanding of God was deist, he reasoned that the existence of God was a question of reason and observation rather than of faith. This demonstrates that he did believe in and accept God, though in an unorthodoxed way, relying wholly on his reason and observations. Not only did these unique beliefs and idea spark some harsh feelings towards Leibniz, but they also forced Voltaire to better mask his criticism. Thus, the employment of satire in his novels, specifically Candide. Throughout Candide Voltaire mercilessly satirizes and mocks many aspects of philosophical optimism. One of the most prevalent examples of this is displayed through Candide’s teacher, Pangloss. Acting as a stand-in for Leibniz in the novel, Voltaire portrays him as both ignorant and arrogant, initially introducing him as Candide’s â€Å"metaphysico-theologo-cosmoniogoly†(Volt aire 15) teacher. Pangloss’s egocentric personality comes through when James the Anabaptist fell overboard on their way to Lisbon. About to jump in after him, Candide is stopped by his wise teacher who proclaims â€Å"the Lisbon harbor was formed expressly for the Anabaptist to drown in†Show MoreRelatedThe Candide By The French Enlightenment1377 Words   |  6 Pagesthe novel Candide by the French Enlightenment writer and philosopher, Voltaire, the use of satire is highly prevalent. Voltaire took many of the follies and views he disagreed with during the Enlightenment and satirized them in this highly unrealistic and exaggerated novel. The events throughout the novel, even if they have some connections or roots in historical events, are seemingly preposterous and embellished because of Voltaire’s heavy use of satire. However, Voltaire merely uses these embellishmentsRead MoreThe Candide : An Era Of Enlightenment Philosopher Essay1355 Words   |  6 Pagespopul ar among the masses for his philosophy. Candide, one of Voltaire s more famous works, expresses lack of reasoning in optimistic philosophy, for the application of practical issues. Candide’s journey is expressed in a quick turnover of events, leaving the reader unavailable to emotionally attach themselves to tragedies; however, Candide’s transformation to an ethical individual is expressed by the lack of practical use of optimistic philosophy. 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These included Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, most religious groups, the earthquake of Lisbon in 1755, and the idea of Optimism presented by many philosophers. The idea of Optimism is based on the idea presented by most religious figures, that God is here and perfect, therefore anything that happens in life is there for a reason and not just a mistakeRead MoreVoltaire s Candide And Dostoyevsky s Notes From Underground1870 Words   |  8 Pagesmany brilliant works created to provide emphasis to the importance of moderation, two philosophers in particular, Voltaire and Dostoyevsky, have conceivably accomplished the most exemplary job of delivering evidence in Voltaireâ€℠¢s Candide and Dostoyevsky’s Notes From Underground. Each use the two concepts of reasoning and currency in different ways to express the importance of moderation. In contemporary society, daring to ask a pertinent question on a social platform is feasibly one of the most dauntingRead MoreCritical Analysis on Voltaire’s Candide, â€Å"Eldorado†2027 Words   |  9 PagesThe story of Candide, â€Å"Eldorado† and what the meaning is, has been one of debate as to what Voltaire was interpreting in the story by some authors. The scene of Eldorado is the visual philosophy of Voltaire’s thoughts of what an ideal society would be. It is a land of richness and where there is a state of being equal in status, rights, belief, and opportunity; it is free of greed, claiming titles or importance, religious strife or contention, and there is no suffering (Mason 55). Eldorado also brings