Satirical Optimism in CandideCandide is a humorous and far-fetched short story by Voltaire that satirizes the optimism promoted by the philosophers of the Enlightenment. It is the story of a young man's adventures around the world, where he witnesses evil and disaster. Throughout his travels, he adheres to the teachings of his guardian, Pangloss, believing that "all is best in the best of all possible worlds" (Voltaire 4). Candide is Voltaire's response to what he saw as an absurd belief proposed by the Optimists. “Candide…is a profound attack on philosophical optimism and, through it, on all philosophical systems that falsely claim to justify the presence of evil in the world” (Mason 1). “Candide anatomizes the world's potential for disaster and examines the corresponding human capacity for optimism” (Bell 1). Although by no means a pessimist, Voltaire refused to believe that what happens is always for the best. The Age of Enlightenment is a term applied to a wide variety of ideas and advances in the fields of philosophy, science, and medicine. The main characteristic of Enlightenment philosophy is the belief that people can actively work to create a better world. “It is customary to present Candide as the result of Voltaire's reaction to Leibniz and Pope,” (Wade 1) two of the leading philosophers of the Enlightenment era. Although Voltaire's Candide is strongly characterized by the primary concerns of the Enlightenment, it also criticizes some aspects of the movement. He attacks the idea of ​​optimism, which holds that rational thinking can inhibit the evils perpetrated by human beings. Voltaire did not believe in the power of reason to overcome contemporary social conditions. The attack on the claim that this is "the best of all possible worlds" is evident throughout the novel. Throughout the story, satirical references to this theme contrast with natural disasters and human wrongdoing. When reunited with the sick and dying Pangloss, who had contracted syphilis, Candide asks if the Devil is to blame. Pangloss simply replies that "disease was a necessity in this 'best of all possible worlds,' because it was brought to Europe by Columbus' men, who also brought chocolate and cochineal, two major goods that well compensated for the negative effects of the disease." . illness"" (Voltaire 17). The multitude of disasters that Candide suffers leads him to abandon his faith in optimism. To the question "What is optimism?" of Cacambo, Candide replies: "Alas.