Has anyone read Voltaire’s Candide? I read it some years ago and enjoyed it. While I don’t agree with Voltaire, and actually despise some of his philosophy, I found Candide funny in the way it mocked the “best of all possible worlds” view. It was also an interesting peek into the mind of the 18th Century mind.
I haven’t found the time to read the irreverent pagan’s little diatribe against religion. 😆 I'll get around to it some day. I liked Thomas More and Erasmus better, but it's been so long since I read Utopia and The Praise of Folly I can't hardly remember them. Just goes to show, if you don't use it, you lose it. By the way, did you know that More and Erasmus were best friends? Erasmus wrote to More while he was imprisoned in the London Tower for not bowing to James' religous expectations. Oh, and while I'm on the subject, I want to find the time to read Spencer's The Faerie Queene, too. 😀
Erasmus wrote to More while he was imprisoned in the London Tower for not bowing to James’ religous expectations. Do you mean Henry VIII's expectations? A few months ago I read an interesting description of Thomas More by Erasmus. You can read at least part of it here. Yes, Thomas More is one of my favorites, but he'd fall more into the Renaissance category. I'm no fan of Voltaire's philosophy, either, and perhaps we should start a thread detailing our criticisms.
Phidippides: You are correct it was Henry VIII. I told you it had been a long times since I dealt with this area of history! 😆 I've always had a hard time keeping track of all those Tudors and Stuarts and what not. I do plan on shoring up my British history when I enter a doctoral program.....hopefully William and Mary. Henry wanted that divorce and More parted ways with his king which cost him his head. Thomas More was sainted by the Catholic Church in 1935.
Have you seen the film about Thomas More, A Man For All Seasons? I would imagine you have, but if you haven’t you should see it. It’s one of my all-time favorite movies (I forgot to add it to the list).
Sorry – I put that message on the 404 page not found page from a few years ago when this site was hacked. I think I was trying to direct to this page:
Candide!!!!Yes--The Church had a list of banned books. It was on the list. I read it as soon as possible--loved it andsaw something of Heller's Catch 22 in the absurdity--loved Pangloss--what a wonderful myopic fool!