Francois Voltaire
1950-06-30
"All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds"
It was the indifferent shrug and callous inertia that this "optimism" concealed which so angered Voltaire, who found the "all for the best" approach a patently inadequate response to suffering, to natural disasters, not to mention the questions of illness and man-made war. Moreover, as the rebel whose satiric genius had earned him not only international acclaim, but two stays in the Bastille, flogging, and exile, Voltaire knew personally what suffering entailed. In Candide he whisks his young hero and friends through a ludicrous variety of tortures, tragedies, and a reversal of fortune, in the company of Pangloss, a "metaphysico-theologo-comolo-nigologist" of unflinching optimism. The result is one of the glories of eighteenth-century satire.
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An extraordinary exploration of optimism and the human condition, Voltaire's Candide offers a satirical critique that is as relevant today as it was upon its initial publication. The narrative's fast-paced, episodic structure, coupled with its biting wit, provides a refreshing departure from the more somber literary tones I typically engage with. The juxtaposition of the protagonist's relentless optimism against the backdrop of suffering and misfortune is masterfully executed, leaving a profound impression on the reader.
