CANDIDE’S GARDEN: A SOCIETY OF ÜBERMENSCHEN

Muhammad Mubashar Saeed, Alia Nazir

Abstract


The question of a perfect society and its merits has been argued among human beings for centuries. The answer to this question is provided by many philosophers and reformers in the form of different theories, including idealism, absurdism, nihilism, existentialism, etc. Two of these prominent thinkers were Voltaire from the eighteenth century and Nietzsche from the nineteenth century. The ideal human being, suggested and redefined by Voltaire, is in terms of enlightenment and reason. He associated his ideal especially with practicality and knowledge. This research analyzes the cultivation of the garden in the novella Candide. The garden society is suggested by Voltaire as a solution to the problem of the human ideal. The researchers aim to perform this analysis through a Nietzschean lens by using the concept of Übermensch. This superman is a person who has the ability to overcome his prejudices and evolve into a better self. With his improved thought process, he is able to create a new moral basis for people and society. Nietzsche’s superman has will to power and believes in the eternal recurrence of events. This research signifies the importance of the evolution of the self and society, which is crucial to the human search for meaning and existence.

 

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ideal, reason, enlightenment, Übermensch, overcoming

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejls.v7i1.689

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