Candide is an extension of Voltaire in spirit, the book is all about how Voltaire would react if these things happened to him and what he thinks about these situations happening around his life. So what is Voltaire trying to say to us by having Candide escape to
My conclusion is that in the 1750’s the European way of life was in chaos. The Seven years war was taking place, the enlightenment was also in full gear. It was a bridge between two eras of time. So with the turmoil brewing away Voltaire might have wished he left
What do you guys thinks about why he left, and do you also think that Candide is the blade in Voltaire's hand? He published most of his works for the nobles of Europe. Was he trying to tell them something with this book?
I agree with your analysis of Voltaire and Candide for the most part. The reference of Candide being the blade in Voltaire hand is a accurate one. It is a good descriptive view of how Voltaire sent candide to tell people about the stability of the old world. However the idea that he was using his work to sent a message to the nobles is kind of a stretch. Although he might have been trying to tell them somthing in his book it is still a stretch.
ReplyDeleteThis is a thoughtful analysis. I wonder what the point of having elDorado be so absurdly utopian but show the horrors of slavery in Surinam.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with your analysis and I agree that he was trying to share his views with the nobles, or some other social group of the time.
ReplyDeleteI think that the point of having elDorado and Surinam be conveyed in such an extreme way was to make sure he got his point across. It was part of Voltaire's witticism. He wanted to exemplify what "the best of all possible worlds" would actually be, and how most of the world is not that way.
- Elizabeth Anderson
I think he was a person of fear and ran from his dispare. He only stayed put when someone took charge and took care of him.I could get out of this that if you just keep your head down and do your work and don't expect riches you will survive. Candide was making voltaire's life seem like a lesson to learn I think it was his reasoning of his hardships.
ReplyDeleteI think Candide did what Voltaire wanted to do. Voltaire probably did want to leave Europe with all that was going on, but never did. Candide is the blade in Voltaire's hand. With his books he tried to show the nobles what was wrong with the world and how it could be changed. He tried to express his views without coming out and saying them.
ReplyDelete