Voltaire’s Candide uses anti-heroism as an object of mockery against the philosophers of the Enlightenment. Candide, the hero of the novel travels around the world where he encounters many difficulties. During his travels, he sticks to the teaching of his tutor, Doctor Pangloss, believing that “everything is for the best” (3). The sheer stupidity of these illogical conclusions points out Voltaire’s problem with most optimists: the illogical degree to which they would carry their doctrine. . Pangloss’s interpretation of cause and effect is so ignorant as to be comical such as the physics lesson .
While Candide tells an interesting story, it is more important as a satire. However, this does not prove Voltaire is a pessimist. In Albert Camus the plague there is a different type of optimism. As the plague takes over the town and more and more people start dying the main character Rieux is the only one who remains to have a sense of optimism. Albert Camus was taught to look on the brighter side of life from a young boy or so according to his autobiography.
Like rieux who seemed to be the only one who did not seek greed or isolation during the extremely hard time. Philosophers believed that reason could be used to explain everything. The philosophers believed that people could make the world a better place to live in. Voltaire is against such optimism. Voltaire chooses to simplify it to the extent that it seemed complacent and absurd, and he went on to make us think if happiness was real . 1-2).
According to Voltaire true happiness can only be experienced in an unreal world. The trouble that Candide endures after leaving Eldorado culminates in his eventual abandonment of optimism. Candide loses four of his sheep laden with priceless jewels due to natural causes, and then sees his two remaining sheep stolen, and the local magistrate indifferent to the theft. “Certainly, says Candide, if everything goes well, it is in Eldorado and not in the rest of the world” (42). Candide goes a step further, “Oh Pangloss, cried Candide, you have no notion of these abominations! I’m through; I must give up your optimism after all. What’s optimism’said Cacambo.
Alas, said Candide, it is a mania for saying things are well when one is in hell” (40). Candide’s happy view of life is contrasted with and challenged by suffering that he goes through, throughout the book. Hence, Voltaire uses the book to show foolishness of optimism. Voltaire also satirizes religion. According to him the extremely pious and the clergy are willing to turn their back on their fellow man, but those who have not even been baptized are willing to lend a helping hand. Candide, shortly after the battle, asks many religious individuals for alms, but they all, including one who had just lectured on charity, refused to aid him.
Finally Jacques the Anabaptist takes pity on his fellow human, a “featherless biped possessing a soul” (6). Voltaire attacks not only the blanket optimism of Dr. Pangloss, but also the religious aspect of faith the idea that there is a good will guiding earthly events. The fact that good and bad alike suffer and die seems to be evidence that God is not in charge. Voltaire believed that God had abandoned the world because he was a Jesuit.
(183). the hypocrisy of religion, especially that of the Roman Catholic Church, is recurrent in Candide. Underlying the satire of religious practices is Voltaire’s outrage at all forms of fanaticism and intolerance. Voltaire claims that religious leaders blame “the fall of man as the system we put on all these individual maladies”. Voltaire adds, “it is clear that the system undermines the very foundations of the Christian religion, and explains nothing at all” (88), Camus conveys his own philosophy in a certain way so that his characters are subject to his personal ideals and morals.
Camus believes there is no god, and essentially that human beings need to be responsible for their own lives ,happiness and decency .through the eyes of all of his characters .Through his use of false optimism.Wade says “Voltaire destroys the philosophy of optimism by graphically .
