Voltaire’s “Candide” is a satirical novella that follows the naïve Candide as he experiences a series of increasingly absurd misfortunes, challenging the optimistic philosophy of his tutor, Pangloss, who insists that they live in “the best of all possible worlds.” Through Candide’s misadventures across Europe and the New World, Voltaire critiques religious hypocrisy, political corruption, and the cruelty of human suffering. The novella’s wit, biting irony, and philosophical depth have made it one of the most influential works of the Enlightenment.
