Voltaire, Candide

Max Shrem (Independent Scholar - North America)

Ed. by Kathrina LaPorta, New York University
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.5.2.04: French Writing and Culture: Eighteenth-Century and the Enlightenment, 1700-1800.
Vol. editors: Edward Forman (University of Bristol), Jenny Mander (University of Cambridge), Síofra Pierse (University College Dublin), Tim Unwin (University of Bristol), David Williams (University of Sheffield)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1759

Places

France (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel
Satire

Resources

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Candide ou l’Optimisme [Candide or Optimism] (1759) is a philosophical tale written by Voltaire. This genre, perfected by Voltaire, combines the story structure and supernatural aspects of a fairytale with the ideological reflection of a philosophical treatise. The most read and commented work by Voltaire, Candide summarizes the writer’s thought vis-à-vis religious tolerance, the hypocrisy of philosophical discourse, and major political changes gripping his century. This hybrid genre engages with a variety of writings in vogue during the 18th century, ones with which Voltaire himself experimented: the epic, tragedy, satire, epigram, the philosophical treatise, the pamphlet, and the historical chronicle. In Candide, Voltaire communicates his thoughts on a European society in crisis,…

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4183 words

Citation: Shrem, Max. "Candide". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 February 2018 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=6091, accessed 02 December 2023.]

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