1694–1778

Voltaire

The Enlightenment’s most agile public writer—poet, historian, campaigner. Candide is his portable weapon against metaphysical comfort.

Made the philosophical tale a popular instrument of critique and wit a civic duty.

Primary works

Novella · 1759

Candide

Voltaire

A naïve youth is bounced from war to earthquake to slavery while Pangloss insists this is the best of all possible worlds. The garden at the end is an ethic, not a comfort.

Philosophical tale