Voltaire, Candide

This item is included in the following series/curriculum: Living Literature: The Classics and You

Grade Level: Senior High (10-12)-Adult
Subjects: Classical literature, Contemporary
Produced By: Governors State University
Year: 1994
Country: United States
Language: English
Running Time: 58m 19s

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Does Candide simply recreate "Job in modern dress," as Frederick the Great asserted? What is the theme of Candide? What is Voltaire's attitude toward metaphysical speculation? What is the role of "work" in Candide? The lesson focuses on the symbolic concept of "garden" in the work, and discussion touches on the three types of "gardens" (ways of life) that rapidly succeed one another toward the end of the work. The class contemplates Candide as a work that exemplifies humankind's traditional existential dilemma: How does one find meaning in a mad, evil world and create a meaningful existence within it? Featured interview: Professor Robert Morrissey (University of Chicago)

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