HIST 158 1st Edition Lecture 19 Outline of Last LectureI. Absolutism a. Theories b. Characteristics c. ConstitutionalismOutline of Current LectureI. Candidea. Voltaireb. Genesis and genre of Candidec. Contextd. CharactersCurrent LectureI. Candidea. Voltairei. 18th century philosophe ii. Worldly, elegant, populariii. First became famous for his witty plays1. Nothing was off limits for satireiv. Wrote “English Letters” book1. Uses England to criticize the French2. Exiled to Court of Frederic of Prussia, then Geneva after arguments with Frederica. Obviously, unafraid of confronting power3. Returned to Paris at the end of his life to popular acclaimv. Very strong critic of religion (not an atheist though)These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.1. Deism: “clock maker”a. Believed God existed who only set things in motionb. Genesis and the genre of Candidei. Relentless plotii. Focuses on the emergent consumer society, war, etc.1. Voltaire was a sensitive observer of his worldiii. Written in 1758 published in 1759 1. Written very quickly yet very successfula. Was at first anonymousiv. Novel or tale?1. Has a basic character development2. Borrows from Romantic novel and Picaresque genre3. Problem of evil – why does evil exist?a. Leibniz – philosopher who believed that there was a God who created the best possible world, not the best worldi. Optimism was the answerii. Voltaire is mocking Leibniz’s ideologyc. Contexti. Impacted how Voltaire looked at evil in the worldii. November 1755 Earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal1. Densely populated area2. Flattened by earthquake3. “An examination of that Axiom ‘All is Well’” = Voltaire’s poem on the Lisbon Disasteriii. Seven Years War (1756-1763)1. Losses heavy2. Million to million and a half lives lostd. Characters - Basic characters are grappling with major issuesi. Pangloss- all-knowing philosopher1. Proven wrong2. Name means “all languages”3. Very stubborn in his optimistic philosophy4. Voltaire criticizes the benign belief of “progress” that comes from the Encyclopediea. Pangloss has a response for everything5. “We have to cultivate our garden”a. Opposite viewpointb. Need to stop observing and philosophizing and work for the futureii. Martin – opposite of Pangloss1. Only evil exists2. Constant pessimistiii. Candide1. Naive2. Madly/faithfully in love3. Curious mind why, why, why?4. Pendulum between Pangloss and Martina. Basic characterb. Evolves the most/symbolizes Voltaire’s questioningiv. Cunegonde – Candide’s muse1. Beautiful to mangles2. Voltaire criticizes mistreatment of women yet doesn’t give Cunegonde the opportunity to participate in philosophical debatev. Son of Baron 1. Cunegonde’s gay brother2. Only one excluded from the garden at the enda. Represents Voltaire’s limit of tolerationvi. Old Lady1. Practical2. Not philosophical3. Opposite of Panglossvii. Cacambo – Candide’s faithful follower1. Picaresque2. Embodies practical philosophya. Doing things rather than thinking3. Opposite of Pangloss and
View Full Document