To what extent do you think Candide or L'Optimisme reflects Voltaire's view of the virtues of work?

To what extent do you think Candide or L'Optimisme reflects Voltaire's view of the virtues of work?

In 1754 Voltaire wrote, "I have always looked upon work as the greatest consolation for the inseparable misfortunes of the human condition" (06/02, correspondence).

To what extent do you think Candide or L’optimisme reflects Voltaire's view of the virtues of work?

Virtues of work (V)

• How important was work to the people during the enlightenment?
• What is Voltaire’s perception of work, and how influential was it in Candide or l’optimisme  

Candide Important moments (1-4)

• Candide lives in the castle of the Baron of Thunder in Westphalia. He is illegitimate son of the Baron's sister.
• The castle's tutor Pangloss teaches "Metaphysico-theologo-cosmo-nigology. He believes that the current world they are living in is the "best of all possible worlds"
•  Candide gets banished by the baron for kissing Miss Cunegonde, the Baron's daughter .
• Candide goes to the next town where two men find him half-dead and give him money and food.
• They conscript him to serve in the Bulgarian army where he is indoctrinated in the military life.
• One morning when going for a walk, he is captured and is court martialed as a deserter. He is given the choice between execution and running the gauntlet.
• Candide escapes to Holland where he meets a Protestant orator who was explaining the value of charity to a crowd of listeners - He asks Candide if he supports the good cause- to which candide replies that "there is no effect without a cause"- when the orator asks if he believes that the Pope is an antichrist, Candide genuinely answers that he does not know to which the orator curses him and his wife dumps human waste over him.
• A kind Anabaptist named Jacques takes Candide to his home and employs Candide in his rug factory, his kind gesture revives Candide's faith in Pangloss's theory.
• When meeting an ill Pangloss, he is treated by a doctor thanks to Jacques and is employed as a bookkeeper (V). Although Jacques does not agree with Pangloss theory and he believes that "men have somehow corrupted nature" and that "God never gave men weapons, but men created them to destroy themselves."

5-13

• When going to Lisbon, a furious storm takes over, Jacques saves a sailor from being thrown overboard but falls over himself though the sailor does nothing to help him
• When arriving to Lisbon, Pangloss and Candide help the wounded, where Pangloss comforts the victims by telling them that the earthquake is for the best.
• Hearing this, one of the officers accuses Pangloss of Heresy because an optimist cannot possibly believe in original sin.
• In order to prevent any further earthquakes, Portuguese authorities start burning people alive and chose Jews to be burnt alive. Pangloss is hanged and Candide is whipped in public for "listening with an air of approval". Although another earthquake still occurs - Candide starts doubting Pangloss's theory again.
• In Lisbon, Candide meets Cunegonde, who explains her story. (8-9, look at sparknote)
• A Franciscan steals Cunegonde Jewels, Candide sells a horse and travel to Cadiz, where they find troops preparing to sail to a new world.
• Candide demonstrates his military experience to the general and instantly becomes a captain.
• The old women berate Cunegonde for saying she went to a traumatic experience based on limited experience.
• The old woman tells her story:  (Chapter 11-13)

Analysis (Chapter 11-13)

• The old woman’s story serves a dual purpose. The catalogue of her sufferings illustrates a vast array of human evils that contradict Pangloss’s optimistic view of the world. She has lived through violence, rape, slavery, and betrayal and seen the ravages of war and greed.
• Her story also functions as a criticism of religious hypocrisy. Being the daughter of the Pope, he has not only violated his vow of celibacy, but also has not been able to protect his daughter from any misfortunes falling on her.
• Voltaire, here is not expressing the virtue of work where normally people should carry out quality work within moral rights. Here, officers choose to practice cannibalism rather than betray their oath. Meaning they do “bad” work that is looked down up on society but doing this work makes them feel happy.
• Voltaire also expresses a scenario where human condition is harmed and despite having skills to save a woman's life can lead to them having to deal with even more misery and injustice. An example of this scenario is the kind French surgeon who treats the woman wounds but does nothing to prevent them being sold to new slave owners.
• Through the old woman's story, Voltaire reiterates the importance of evidence that is actually verified which is based on an empty philosophical rhetoric.
• Voltaire explores the human condition of emotion here; Cunegonde expresses her emotions based on what she has gone through which raises judgement by the old woman, who wants Candide and Cunegonde to know, that the world is even more cruel than what they have seen. Whether it be Candide getting banished or losing Pangloss o Cunegonde getting raped, or her family dying.

Important Quotes

“Le bon Jacques court à son secours, l'aide à remonter, et de l'effort qu'il fit il est précipité dans la mer à la vue du matelot, qui le laissa périr, sans daigner seulement le regarder.” (Chapter 5)

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