(Please click on one of the 18 numbered titles below to access
the topic of your choice)
Right - In this old edition, Voltaire conceals his identity
The BBC Jonathan Swift webpage to which reference is
made can be reached with this link:
"Gulliver's Travels": How it Comments on Society
(Voltaire’s aim in the book was to attack Philosophical Optimism and there are four sections, 4-7 below, to cover this topic :)
(If Voltaire is attacking optimism, we ask the question whether this makes for a gloomy, pessimistic book? Topics 8- 10 below are relevant to this question)
(Finally we discuss the characters in topics 11- 18)
the topic of your choice)
1) SUMMARY OF THE BOOK WITH COMMENTARY
Right - In this old edition, Voltaire conceals his identity
2) The life and character of Voltaire (Pictured below)
3) Identifying the literary genre to which the book belongs.
The BBC Jonathan Swift webpage to which reference is
made can be reached with this link:
"Gulliver's Travels": How it Comments on Society
(Voltaire’s aim in the book was to attack Philosophical Optimism and there are four sections, 4-7 below, to cover this topic :)
4) Optimistic Philosophy in the eighteenth century
5) Direct references to Philosophical Optimism in the book
6) Voltaire's hostility to Philosophical Optimism
7) Voltaire's evidence against Philosophical Optimism
Right a picture of one piece of evidence - The disastrous Lisbon earthquake
(If Voltaire is attacking optimism, we ask the question whether this makes for a gloomy, pessimistic book? Topics 8- 10 below are relevant to this question)
8) Is "Candide" a totally pessimistic book?
9) What is Candide's final philosophy of life?
10) Voltaire's literary style (This topic is relevant to the question of pessimism also because the style serves to dispel any gloomy tone)
(Finally we discuss the characters in topics 11- 18)
11) Are the characters merely puppets?
12) The Character of Candide
13) The character of Pangloss
14) The character of Cunegonde
Picture right - Cunegonde and Candide are caught behind the screen, after she had invited him to join in a biological experiment.
15) The character of the German Jesuit Baron
16) The character of the old woman
17) The character of Cacambo
18)The character of Martin
 |
| The Auto-da-fe at which Candide had a starring role, burnt over a slow fire as a heretic, at a religious service, in front of a huge congregation, which included Cunegonde. |
1 comment:
Thank you Mr. David Yendley...at school in the 70s I misbehaved through most of my french lessons and scraped through at CSE grade 2. Now that I have french grandchildren, from La Fontaine to George Brassens, I cannot get enough... merci beaucoups!
Post a Comment