English: Frontispiece and first page of chapter on...
Voltaire's chateau at Ferney-Voltaire, France.
The Auto de fe of Pangloss in Voltaire's Candide, ...I am not too familiar with the events that occurred in this book. It is set back in the times of kings and queens, barons, lords and other titles. The author, Voltaire, who was born Francios-Marie Arouet, was very critical and suspicious of government and officials. He used his writing talens to make fun of them or criticize abuses of the time. In the middle of the 18th century, Voltaire turned against the popular philosophy of "optimism" because of a tragic earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal, which killed 30,000 people and did millions of dollars in damage. He wrote Candide to show that proponents of optimism were, well - crazy! The first thing that happens in this book is that the main character, Candide, a good natured young man, gets kicked out of his home. His home happens to be the castle of a Baron who has a 17-year old daughter named Cunegonde. Candide is seen by the baron kissing the hand of Cunegonde. So, what's the big deal about that? She was the one who started it. And it was just her hand, all right? But for some reason, this really upset the Baron and out Candide went.
He is picked up by Bulgarian soldiers and made part of their army, but when he goes out for a walk one day, they think is going AWOL. He is then given a choice of taking 12 bullets to the dome or being whipped 4,000 times! Nice choice! By now I'm thinking not much is happening for the good. But not Candide. He just doesn't understand. He takes the whipping.
Over and over again Candide tries to do his best and tragedies happen to him. The way I feel about Candide is that he is undecided and confused about what...