Essay on Voltaires Candide - Fallacy of Optimism Exposed

Fallacy of Optimism Exposed in Candide In Candide, Voltaire paints a dismal and satiric view of the world. Voltaire paints a pessimistic portrait of a nave youth who is raised to believe that this is best of all worlds. Time and again, Voltaire clearly portrays his belief that this is not the best of all possible worlds. The characters of the story impertinence great adversity. In chapter 10, Cunegonde states that her misfortune is so great that she does not see how the old fair sexs story of woefulness can get over her own. In chapters 11 and 12 the old woman then goes onto tell of her misfortune. When she finishes Candide and Cunegonde are amazed at the hard times this woman has faced. At the proposal of the old woman, Candide and Cunegonde ask others on the ship relate their adventures, and sure enough, the others on the boat have stories that can match or surpass Cunegondes tale of woe. Throughout most of the book, Voltaire pokes fun at Leibnizs that according to the hier archical structure of monads that this is best of all possible worlds. Candide and Pangloss are the main characters used to satirise the belief that this is the best of all possible worlds. Pangloss is a blind optimist he refused to see things being anything other than the best. No matter what sort of natural calamity or misfortune falls upon someone Pangloss heralds it is being for the best. Candide-the nave follower of Pangloss-is first a blind follower of Pangloss, but eventually comes to reject his teachings. In chapter 3 after meeting John the Anabaptist, Candide affirms, now I am convinced that my Master Pangloss told me truth when he said that everything was for the best in this world. However, in the beginning of Chapter 4 only few p... ...t this is not the best of all possible worlds. Though some good things happen along their adventures, Candides fellow adventurers face great misfortune. Eventually they are forced to live a life of labor-not at all befitting their noble ancestry. Though greatly disappointed with their expiry all but Candide insist on claiming that all is for the best. The complete absurdity that one could go through as much and end up in the place where they end up and still claim that all was for the best furthers Voltaires belief in the fallacy of systematic optimism. Works Cited and Consulted Frautschi, R.L. Barrons Simplified Approach to Voltaire Candide. tonic York Barrons Educational Series, Inc., 1998. Lowers, James K, ed. Cliff Notes on Voltaires Candide. Lincoln Cliff Notes, Inc. 1995. Voltaire. Candide. New York Viking Publishers, 1996.