Voltaire s Candide The Enlightenment Principle Of Reason

Within the hundred or so pages of Voltaire’s Candide resides proof of all four values of the Enlightenment: hope, progress, natural law, and reason. Being a man of the enlightenment, it makes sense for Voltaire’s novel to include these values. Using ironic humor and satire, Voltaire managed to say what he needed to say without being directly responsible for having said it. As Candide reads like an adventure story, there is a lot of dialogue between characters. Through these conversations and stories, Voltaire’s Candide shows support for the enlightenment principle of reason (critical, rational thought) with regards to organized religion but shows very little support for the enlightenment principle of progress (change for the better) with regards to female tropes and sexism. Reason, to enlightened thinkers in the eighteenth century, was another way of saying critical, rational thought- to be able to look at something and see its flaws or benefits, or to see how on e thing works in relation to another thing. While Candide includes most enlightenment principles, reason seems to be the base of the story since a reader must have reason to understand the book’s nuances. This essay will partly focus on how Voltaire’s support of reason showed through his mockery of certain aspects of organized religion. One instance of Voltaire supporting reason is when he refered to religious toleration. In Candide, the main character Candide and his footman Cacambo managed to find their way intoShow MoreRelatedVoltaire s View Of Candide1511 Words   |  7 Pages Voltaire s Candide is a satirical work written in 1759 as a commentary during the Enlightenment. One of Voltaire s most famous works, it also functioned to reflect Voltaire s opinions. 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