Candide: A New Translation

Voltaire

Newcomb Livraria Press

About this ebook

A new translation directly from the original French manuscript of Voltaire's 1759 Candide. This edition also contains supplemental material on Voltaire including an afterword by the translator, a timeline of Voltaire's life and works, summaries of each of the works in his corpus, and a glossary of Philosophic Terminology used by Voltaire. This work by Voltaire is perhaps his most famous work, a satirical novel that follows the adventures of a young man named Candide, who travels the world encountering a series of absurd and often violent events. This work was a direct reply to Rousseau, whom Voltaire absolutely hated. Candide is Voltaire's criticism of the prevailing optimism of the time, arguing that the world was a fundamentally flawed and cruel place and the new age of Romanticism is a delusion. Written later in 1759, this is perhaps Voltaire's most renowned work. It's a satirical novella that's been hailed as one of the world's greatest pieces of literature. It is a sharp critique of optimism, as embodied by the philosophy of Leibniz, especially as articulated by his disciple, Alexander Pope. Schopenhauer, writes in Will and Representation: As Voltaire, in Candide, wages war against optimism in his jocular manner, so Byron did in his serious and tragic, in his immortal masterpiece Cain, for which reason he has also been glorified by the invectives of the obscurantist Friedrich Schlegel. - If, finally, I were to present the sayings of great minds of all times in this sense, which is opposed to optimism, in order to confirm my view, there would be no end to the citations, since almost all of them have expressed their recognition of the misery of this world in strong words. Thus, not for confirmation, but merely for ornamentation of this chapter, a few sayings of this kind may find place at the end of it.

About the author

Voltaire (1694-1778), born François-Marie Arouet, was a towering figure in the European Enlightenment, renowned for his wit, satirical genius, and fierce advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion and free trade. Born on November 21, 1694, in Paris, Voltaire was educated by the Jesuits at the Collège Louis-le-Grand, where he demonstrated an early talent in literature and theater. Despite a brief stint studying law, he devoted himself to writing, rapidly gaining fame for his sharp wit and eloquence. Voltaire's literary career was marked by numerous conflicts with French authorities, leading to periods of imprisonment and exile. His most famous stay at the Bastille prison was due to his satirical verse, which mocked the French Regent. This propensity for critique often saw him in conflict with the establishment, but it also earned him a reputation as a champion of the oppressed and a critic of religious and political dogma, including the Atheistic dogmatism of the French Revolution.