Candide

This did come with the gray cover shown in the display picture. I was happy, since different book options for classics on amazon sometimes switch covers on ya. I was not missing any pages, as I saw someone was in a previous review. I'm happy with it! The absurdities and humor and adventure of Candide are delightful. For anyone buying this for a collegiate history course, I'd recommend reading it all the way through, especially again later in life around 30 or 40 after adulting sucks for 10 or 20 years, it's a cozy gem!

I read this book for a class, and it was a quick read, but I am not too into French historic literature. If that is your thing, I would recommend reading it. The book size is also awkward because it is very thin and large, which means it can bend easliy.

After purchasing and reading Candide, the reader is left with the imprint of explicit and oppressive themes that occurred throughout the entire story. The author uses elements of oppression, war, philosophy and religion to develop similar themes and create a rather enthralling story. Voltaire used clashing archetypes to create complex relationships between characters. This review will elaborate on how the time period, themes and archetypes in the story contributed to the overall work as a whole. Candide was written in 1758 by Voltaire; a French philosopher and writer. He is known for his criticism towards Christianity, more specifically the Catholic Church, and throughout Candide the development of satirical themes are evident due to this. The satire used in the story allows the reader to better understand Voltaire’s opinions towards Catholic Church as well as other religions and philosophies. The novel is centered around the notion of philosophical optimism, an ideology associated with German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. It is the idea that everything happens for the best and that we live in the best of all possible worlds. Pangloss served as a mentor who taught Candide and Cunégonde this philosophy. Candide is the hero of the story who, throughout his travels, experiences many events and meets many people with varying ideologies and religions as him. There were questions that arose within Candide of who is right, who is wrong and if everything happens for the best, how can such terrible things happen to good people? These questions created an intriguing crash between the archetypes of Pangloss and Candide, because although Candide sees him has a wise mentor, he couldn’t help but question and and rebel against some of his teachings that he had previously lived by. The story progressed through the use of location. Candide was born in Westphalia, Germany where he lived with the Baron, his wife, their daughter Cunegonde and their tutor Pangloss. Cunegonde and Candide were quite fond of each other, and one day where they kissed Candide was kicked out of the estate because she was a higher class than him. Once Candide leaves, he is taken by Bulgarian soldiers to travel with them, Eventually, after being mistreated and leaving them, he arrives in Holland. The plot thereafter is catastrophic in the seeing that Candide proceeded to travel to tens of places. In each place Candide experienced something new, whether it be religious oppression or notices self-righteous people of war. Although everything he experienced was clearly negative in every sense, he continues to naively live by the same idea of Optimism that Pangloss had once taught him. Candide is reunited with Pangloss, but only briefly, because both of them are whipped at the Catholic church for their varying religious views. The purpose of this was clearly satirical and contributes of Voltaire’s personal beliefs as well as how the church could be seen as contradicting to its apparently peaceful ways. Nonetheless, Candide did see this as another reason to illuminate his teachings from Pangloss and how this all happened for the best. All the events that would follow were also tragic. From having to escape Holland, reuniting with Cunegonde but finding out the hardships she faced that were sexually oppressive, being shipwrecked in Lisbon, meeting Cacambo and going to El Dorado only to be utterly unsatisfied with their religion and way of life, a disastrous trip to Paris that lead to Candide losing his money, etc. All of these events came directly after another which contributes to the theme of endless hardships. For most of these situations, Candide and who ever he was with were struggling yet the clear answer for Candide was optimism and that everything that had happened up to that point had been the best possible outcome of all worlds. It is this ignorance that contributes to the overwhelming satire purposely placed in this story by Voltaire. After purchasing and analysing Candide by Voltaire, it can be said that it was rather intriguing. The use of clashing archetypes, overwhelming satire, and interesting themes ensure that the reader will definitely be entertained. All of these element combine to create a rather spontaneous story. I recommend Candide for anyone curious about this period in history and would enjoy a glimpse into the life of Candide; a young man who although faces the most unfortunate events, remains as optimistic as can be until the end.

During the early years of Saturday Night Live, Gilda Radner would often appear during the Weekend Update segment as Roseanne Roseannadanna who would respond to a letter from Mr. Richard Feder from Fort Lee, New Jersey. At the end of her segment, she would say to the Weekend Update host, Jane Curtin, something like the following."Well, Jane, it just goes to show you, it's always something! If it's not one thing, it's another! Either you're depressed at Christmas or you got toilet paper hangin' from your shoe!"For Candide, it isn’t one thing or another; it is one thing after another. He enjoys life in a castle with a Baron’s family. His tutor, Pangloss, teaches Candide the philosophy that all is for the best. Candide’s life teaches him otherwise, but he continues to believe what Pangloss told him. After Candide kisses the hand of the Baron’s daughter, Lady Cunegonde, he is literally kicked out of the castle. Then, after being penniless and dying of hunger, he is rescued by two men in blue who say that Candide is a well built young man who is just the right height. They put him into the army of the Bulgars. After taking a walk one day, he is given his choice of punishments. He eventually escapes but then runs into another problem. This is the life of Candide throughout the book. He is up and then down and then up and then down and so on. Poor Candide has more ups and downs than a rollercoaster!Voltaire wrote Candide as a satire. It isn’t a straightforward adventure novel. You can tell that from the absurdity of situations. In Candide, Voltaire attacked the doctrine of philosophic optimism. Also, Voltaire’s dislike or contempt or generally bad opinion of religious figures is obvious from the writing. Voltaire’s other experiences in life are reflected in the book. You can get some of the context from the fourteen notes at the back of the book. However, it is helpful to read a study guide concurrently with the novel. I chose Cliff’s Notes but there are others which you can choose. I actually found an error in Cliff’s Notes. In one chapter, while Candide is on a French ship, he sees two other ships engaged in battle. In the novel, it says they are Dutch and German ships. Cliff’s Notes indicates that one of those two other ships is French. Actually, the French ship is the ship on which Candide is traveling.The music for various stage performances can sometimes be described by a single word. For one military oriented work, I think of the word “majestic.” For a ballet like Sleeping Beauty with dancers flowing across the stage, I think of the word “romantic” or “sweeping.” The overture of the operetta Candide, based on the novel and with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, makes me think of the word “frantic.” That is how the life of Candide seems to me — frantic.I can’t read French, so, like most people, I read a translation of Candide. A little research showed that there are variations in words and phrases in different editions of the book. I suppose that is inevitable when a book is originally written in a language other than English. At the beginning of the Bantam Classic edition is “The Sage of Ferney: An Appreciation” by André Maurois. Ferney is the retreat where Voltaire spent his old age. This introductory section was very informative. Other editions probably have different scholarly material. Whatever edition you choose to read, I think that you will enjoy the novel Candide.

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Recently I heard a reference to Voltaire’s ‘Candide’ and it occurred to me that I have omitted the works of Voltaire from my reading. I hastened to correct the matter by choosing a copy of Candide from Kindles selection of one dozen versions, both in English and French. I obviously bought an English version, not being very conversant in French. I’m glad I did; it is indeed interesting reading. I reckon to finish it before the week-end. It is an amusing read, think Gulliver’s Travels, Sindbad the Sailor or Alice, both in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass. With naked maidens taking monkey lovers and El Dorado, you have to put your credulity on hold. Baron Münchhausen comes to mind.

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