Candide is Voltaire’s humorous criticism of power, wealth, love, philosophy, religion, education, and, most significantly, optimism. Published in 1759, Candide makes fun of the typical coming-of-age story and, more broadly, literature itself. The story follows the adventures of Candide, a young man in love with a woman of a much higher social class. When their love is thwarted, Candide lives through a series of absurdly bad events in order to be reunited with his sweetheart. François-Marie Arouet, whose pen name was Voltaire, was an Enlightenment thinker, which is reflected in his concern with the power of reason, rejection of the tyranny of church and state, and interest in equality among men. As you might have guessed, outspoken Voltaire was very unpopular with both government and church authorities in his time and was periodically imprisoned and exiled for his views. Candide was banned within a month of its release, as many interesting books are.
Folders in your Toolbar below to quickly find your saved stuff.
