Absurdly Optimistic

Optimism is a peculiar concept. It’s absurd, yet peculiar nonetheless. Voltaire demonstrates this through his writing in Candide. The positive saying “everything is for the best.”(p.35) is clearly a faulty and ignorant way of thinking. Although, those who employ this saying might be making an honest attempt at keeping themselves or others upbeat and content, more than anything it’s a way of brushing problems under the rug.

Reality isn’t a perfect scenario, far from it. It’s full of misfortunes, agony, and tragedies. War, is a perfect example of how flawed society is. “Finally, the bayonet provided ‘sufficient reason’ for the death of several thousand more.” (p.25) Bayonets are weapons that were created to maximize killing potential. Two groups in discordance, who unfortunately aren’t able to settle their problems in a peaceful manner, result to waging war simple because they have the means to do so.

Voltaire also explores the idea of hypocrisy. When Candide finds himself alone with nothing but the clothes on his back, he asks different characters to aid him. “At last he approached a man who had just been addressing a big audience for a whole hour on the subject of charity.” (p.26) By reading this we immediately believe that Candide will finally get the help he’s been searching for. Who better to lend him a helping hand than a man who strongly supports charity? However, as we read on we quickly learn that this is not the case. Instead, this supposedly charitable man asks Candide if he believes that the Pope is Antichrist and when Candide answers that he simply doesn’t know the man refuses to help him. Not only is this hypocritical, but it’s ironic that the man who preaches about charity turns down those who ask for his help.

Irony is also expressed when Dr. Pangloss is hanged and Candide is ‘flogged’ along with other so claimed offenders in the name of preventing future earthquakes. On the day of the procession as the criminals were being sacrificed another earthquake took place, completely contradicting the reason the event was held.

After Dr. Pangloss is hanged, the good Samaritan, James (who helped both Candide and Dr. Pangloss) drowns while trying to save another man, and Candide learns that Lady Cunégonde and her family were all violently attacked by Bulgar soldiers, Candide finally begins to question the idea of optimism. He says, “If this is the best of all possible worlds…what can the rest be like?” (p.37) Optimism is truly and simple absurd.