Candide - Voltaire's Writing Style

A detailed Summary of Candide - Voltaire's Writing Style

In Candide, Voltaire uses many writing techniques which can also

be found in the works of Cervantes, Alighieri, Rabelais and Moliere.

The use of the various styles and conventions shows that, despite the

passage of centuries and the language differences, certain writing

techniques will always be effective.

One common literary technique is the author's use of one or more

of his characters as his 'voice' to speak out the authors views on a

certain subject. For instance, in Moliere's Tartuffe, the author uses

the character of Cleante to speak out against religious hypocrites

Nothing that I more cherish and admire

Than honest zeal and true religious fire.

So there is nothing that I find more base

Than specious piety's dishonest face.

In Candide, Voltaire makes use of several characters to voice his

opinion mocking philosophical optimism. On page 1594, Candide is

asking a gentleman about whether everything is for the best in the

physical world as well as the moral universe. The man replies:

...I believe nothing of the sort. I find that everything goes wrong in

our world; that nobody knows his place in s

ideal soon learn the error in their reasoning and adapt themselves to

although on a much less descriptive level. Each of the cantos in his

Voltarie has occasion to use the comedic style of exaggeration

sins and to put him back on the right path in life. In Don Quixote,

in Voltaires time have criticized his work. The critics are referred

pushes one of his political enemies back down into the swampy waters

Approximate Word count = 1287
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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