Candide: or, Optimism by Voltaire (Book Analysis)
Candide: or, Optimism by Voltaire (Book Analysis)
Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide
Read more
This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of Candide: or, Optimism by Voltaire. It provides a thorough exploration of the work’s plot, characters and main themes, including society and optimism. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.
This clear and detailed 25-page reading guide is structured as follows:
- Biography of Voltaire
- Presentation of Candide: or, Optimism
- Summary of Candide: or, Optimism
- Character study
- Candide
- Pangloss
- Cunégonde
- Cacambo
- Martin
- The old woman
- Analysis of Candide: or, Optimism
- Philosophical and critical dimension
- A cutting social criticism
- The philosophical tale
About Candide: or, Optimism
Candide: or, Optimism was first published in 1759 as a result of an argument between Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It is a response to Rousseau’s Lettre sur la Providence and is a satire which revolves around Candide, a young man who is indoctrinated by his mentor.
When Candide: or, Optimism was released, it immediately caused a great scandal, with many readers outraged by its political message and religious blasphemy. It is considered to be Voltaire’s masterpiece, and it is one of the most frequently taught works of French literature.
About Voltaire
Voltaire, real name François Marie Arouet, is one of the most famous French writers of all time. He was born in 1694 and, after finishing college, quickly became infamous for his satiricial writings, which targeted many aspects of society. As a result, he was sent to the Bastille for 11 months. Over his life, he wrote a range of works spanning a huge variety of different genres, the majority of which can be characterised for his struggle for freedom, tolerance and knowledge. Indeed, Voltaire was a firm advocate of civil liberties, and made great use of his writings to expose the failings of society and attack injustice.
Voltaire died in 1778 of illness. As a result of his critical attitude towards the Church, he was refused a proper burial in Paris.
Product details
ISBN | 9782806269188 |
---|---|
Publisher | Plurilingua Publishing |
Collection | BrightSummaries.com |
Format | |
Pages | 26 |
File size | 1.4 MB |