Voltaire's 1759 tale follows Candide, a naive young man brought up in Westphalia to believe that everything is for the best, as his tutor Pangloss teaches. Banished from the castle after an embrace with Cunégonde, he endures war, shipwreck, the Inquisition, and the Lisbon earthquake, travelling from Europe to South America, finding the golden land of Eldorado and losing its riches. The travelling companion Martin, a pessimist, argues with him throughout. At the end Candide settles on a small farm and a modest, practical philosophy.
Satire in the Enlightenment manner, aimed at easy optimism and the church. It is brief and brisk, perfect for a lazy afternoon.
Deep and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Deep Diver. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2013
- Publisher
- Newton Compton
- ISBN
- 9788854154575
- Language
- IT
Quotes by Voltaire
More →Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.
Common sense is not so common.
Dictionnaire Philosophique
