Candide And Voltaires Response To The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment period was considered the period of living and learning through reason in which many writers became prominent in their own opinions on the matter of creation and why it occurred. During these period thinkers of the Enlightenment believed that nothing had imperfections because the world was created by a perfect God, therefore everything he created had to be perfect. There are two authors who emerged during this period who put their own spin, using very detailed opinions, on what they thought about creation. Pope’s Essay on Man discusses how humans cannot reason what they do not know while Voltaire brings about the idea of optimism in his story of Candide which demonstrates optimism to the extreme. In his response to the†¦show more content†¦He underlines this opinion of humans just being a link in nature’s chain in his work by saying â€Å"Vast chain of being, which from God began/Natures ethereal, human, angel, man.†Meaning that if a man is just another link in the chain of nature he has a limited knowledge and if he tries to alter this or view himself as a God, it will result in adversity. Although both arguments can be proven true in some way or another I more closely relate with Pope because of my own religious beliefs. I believe that everything happens for a reason whether it be known or unknown. God has set a plan in place for all of our lives and a lot of the time we do not know or understand why certain things happen. We are not able to comprehend the bigger picture in store for us because as humans we love to have control over own lives and so to think that someone has taken our choice away a lot causes a lot of people decide to agree with Voltaire who questions even the existence of a God. When in reality we still have the choice to make our decisions of who we are and what we choose to with our faith and anything else in life. For me, Pope more closely writes to the sort of optimism that I want to have. Even if there ends up not being a God or supernatural being ruling over us all I would rather have something to put my hope and trust in, also becauseShow More RelatedVoltaire s Candide : A Critique Of Politics And Religion During The Age Of Enlightenment1500 Words   |  6 Pagespublished Candide, ou l Optimisme simultaneously in five European countries in January of 1759, it was met with widespread denouncement due to its controversial content and scandalous portrayal of politics and religion. 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