Philosophical Optimism, Voltaire's Candide, And A Modest
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The eighteenth century was a time when writers used satire as a weapon to bring the social issues of a country into sight for everyday people. By mocking and belittling, Sor Juana de la Cruz's "Philosophical Optimism," Voltaire's Candide, and John Swift's "A Modest Proposal," criticize particular parts of their societies in order to shed some light and hope to change issues that affect not only themselves but thousands of other people even today.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz's "Philosophical Satire" destroys the double standards for women set by men claiming their standards are illogical and childish. She writes that a man is "the child who makes a monster appear / and then goes trembling with fear?" after he strives to make a woman angry (de…show more content… When Candide killed a Jesuit and put on the man's religious robe in South America, Biglugs who were the country's natives, discovered Candide and Cacambo and were preparing to eat them chanting "We'll be revenged and have a good meal; let's eat some Jesuit, eat some Jesuit!" (Voltaire page 379). Once the Biglugs knew Candide and Cacambo were not Jesuits, they celebrated. Simply because they were not Jesuits, they were no longer in danger of being killed. He is reflecting on the intolerance of people who hold different views in Europe. Earlier in Candide, Candide found that Anabaptists, who had unpopular views in the sixteenth century, could even find residence in Holland due to the country's religious freedom. Voltaire uses the natives' intolerance of Jesuits in Paraguay in comparison with the religious liberty in Holland. During that time in England, Protestants were in favor and Catholics' rights were restricted so much that they could not attend school. Perhaps there wasn't a better way to satirize so many things like unnecessary bloodshed, religious hypocrisy, and philosophical optimism like Voltaire did writing Candide. By comparing the two countries in his book, it shows that religious intolerance is a choice and it is possible to treat everyone equally in society despite their religious…show more content… During the time of a Catholic uprising, Swift was in favor of Protestants being the majority of England. Swift considered Catholics as enemies as did many wealthy Protestants who left the country to avoid the enforcements by Catholics like paying tithes. As the rate of children continue to go up, the hunger in Ireland logically has no choice but to only spread. By selling children for food, not only will it will boost the economy during a time when streets are crowded with beggars but also benefit every poor person in Ireland by giving them something valuable to sell to rich people as food. Swift has offered some serious ideas such as taxing absentees at five shillings a pound, learning how to being cautious with money and spending in moderation, and rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury which should relieve the issues in Ireland. His satire was an effective way to grab everyone's attention with the plan to eat young babies while getting a chance to express his serious beliefs that will solve the