‘All that is very well but let us cultivate our garden.’
We are living in the “best of all possible worlds” and everything that happens is “all for the best”. This was the basis of Leibniz’s optimistic philosophy. Voltaire, on the other hand, found these notions patently absurd and decided to show this absurdity through his satirical masterpiece Candide.
Follow Candide and his friends through their series of misadventures where they experienced a variety of tragedies and reversal of fortunes. Ultimately, all is not for the best, but throughout his journey Candide discovers the meaning of life.
Voltaire, pen name of François-Marie Arouet, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit and satirical criticisms. His best known work is his satirical novel Candide. He was also an outspoken advocate of civil liberties and religious tolerance.