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I'm pretty new to Voltaire, I have only read Candide and Voltaire's letters on England.
I am interested in what Lit thinks of the man and his work and what are his must reads.
Admittedly I was a little slow to grasp onto the meaning of Candide but after some thought I was able to grasp it.
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And what did you grasp?
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>>9663385
I could still be very wrong but what I grasped was:
That regardless of class, location, fortune, Nationality there is always going to be misery and misfortune. That regardless of how you view the world this is a certain. However depending on how you view the world depends on take such misfortune, Candide was a roller-coaster of high highs and low lows. More high than low for the most part, whereas Martin who viewed the world as negative always was much more constant in his attitude and emotion
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>>9663381
Threadly reminder that Leibniz was right.
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>>9663394
>More high than low for the most part
Really?
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>>9663404
I'm not sure now,maybe just when he was with Martin this was the case. I think I am mistaken and it wasn't the case. I literally finished reading this yesterday and I'm already unsure, but I think was just mistaken the times Candide bought up the Philosopher's philosophy of all being the best it could be for him agreeing and being happy.
I know he did debate this in his mind/vocally a lot though.
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Candide isn't super deep or anything. An earthquake killed a bunch of people and he thought Leibniz's philosophy was dumb.
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>>9663428
That's pretty much it lol.
And the only place on earth where there is no misery is an imaginary one.
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>>9663381
Candide is the only Voltaire work you need to read
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>>9663381
Philosophical Dictionary + all his short stories are must-reads by today's standards.
In the 18th century the answer would have been to read his tragedies, but the whole genre (French-style tragedy) fell into disgrace and almost no one cares today.
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>We must tend our garden.
>Leibniz was wrong but pessimism isn't better. Let's just make due with what we've got.
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>Holy
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>>9664483
>but the whole genre (French-style tragedy) fell into disgrace and almost no one cares today.
This is inexact. It's true that no one care about 18th century tragedy, but people still care for 17th century tragedy. Read Racine and Corneille.
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Voltaire is generally regarded as rubbish today. I say that as a Frenchman. If you care about the era, read Rousseau instead.
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