Voltaire's Candide - Assignment Example

or of unit Response to chapter I-V of Candide by Voltaire The book “Candide by Voltaire” is a controversial book banned in many countries for its attack on religion politics and the optimistic philosophers. The above fact is necessary to understand in order to explain Voltaire view on Pangloss after he returned to find him a beggar and infected with syphilis. Voltaire is satirical and uses most metaphors in his book to express his views. At the time when he wrote his work, many optimistic philosophers had a great command of the people.

Pangloss an optimistic philosopher in the book express the optimistic view. Voltaire uses satire to evoke the audience emotions by branding such a respected person in the society with syphilis and a beggar. The above attributes are against what is expected of a scholar as Pangloss. A carefull analysis reveals that Voltaire did not believe in the optimistic theory by the philosophers. This is evident to the audience by his attempt through the main character Candide to disapprove the optimistic view of life events.

Voltaire influences the audience to the thought of the popular philosophy totally misplaced by revelation of Pangloss on his condition. Pangloss view his condition as an indispensable element in the world. Voltaire uses this statement to express as evidence to the audience on how the optimist were misplaced and lost touch with the reality. The audience is buffled by the statement and wonders why someone would try to justify such a disease? The statement and the use of satire in the first five chapters by Voltaire invoke the audience to his view of the philosophy of optimism as irrelevant.

The audience views Voltaire as a pessimist from these first five chapters.