The topic titles below are links to the notes.
1) Summary of Candide with Commentary
2) The life and character of Voltaire
3) Identifying the literary genre to which the book belongs
4) Optimistic philosophy in the 18th century
5) Direct references to Optimism in the book
6) Voltaire's hostility to philosophical optimism
7) Voltaire's evidence against philosophical Optimism
8) Is "Candide" a totally pessimistic book?
9) What is Candide's final philosophy of life?
11) Are the characters merely puppets?
14) The character of Cunegonde
15) The character of the Jesuit baron
