Candide, or Optimism follows the adventures of its protagonist, Candide, as he first encounters the doctrine of Leibnizian optimism—that “everything happens for the best in this, the best of all possible worlds”—and continues through a series of subsequent adventures that dramatically challenge this famous precept, despite Candide’s stubborn adherence to it.
The novel satirizes Leibniz’s philosophy and offers a vivid portrayal of the horrors of 18th-century society. In Candide, Leibniz is personified by Pangloss, the philosopher and tutor of the protagonist. Despite witnessing and enduring numerous misfortunes, Pangloss repeatedly insists that “everything happens for the best” and that he lives in “the best of all possible worlds.”
Throughout the narrative, Voltaire spares no detail in depicting erotic scenes, immoral behavior, and biting critiques of the Church hierarchy, constantly mocking Christian principles and institutions.