Candide Quote by Mark Ravenhill
“Also, everyone thinks they know Candide - you hear people described as 'Panglossian'. So if Candide appears on a poster, it feels familiar.”
About This Quote
Source Play: The Cut, 2006
People misuse the term “Panglossian” to label blind optimism, yet the reference to Candide creates cultural familiarity.
In simple terms: Candide is used to describe naive optimism.
Key Takeaway
Question labels of optimism.
Themes
literature
language
culture
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
literary
critical
When to use this quote
- education
- media analysis
- social commentary
Key Concepts
optimism
naïveté
Questions to Reflect On
- How does labeling affect perception?
- When is optimism constructive?
A Different Perspective
Labels can oversimplify complex ideas.
![“I have adapted the whole book [Candid] into tweets of 140 characters, and these are being sent out daily, at the rate of eight tweets per day .” quote by Mark Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/77b/mark-ravenhill-28127_140-character_i-have-adapted-the-whole-book-candid-int_1119776.jpg)
![“Even within single sentences, there are sudden changes of register. And when the travellers go to Venice, they see a play by Voltaire! This is a novel [Candid] which has narratives within narratives, such as when Cunégonde recounts her story.” quote by Mark Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d9a/mark-ravenhill-28127_books_even-within-single-sentences-there-are-s_1366468.jpg)
![“There is the question of language. Although the play [Candid] is not written in strict verse form, there is an underlying beat of rhyming couplets, with echoes of Pope and the tradition of eighteenth-century philosophical verse.” quote by Mark Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/628/mark-ravenhill-28127_beats_there-is-the-question-of-language-althou_1657954.jpg)
![“The shrieks were coming from two quite naked girls, who were pursued by a pair of apes snapping at their bottoms. [...] So he now raises his double-barrelled Spanish rifle, fires and kills both apes. 'God be praised, my dear Calambo! I have delivered these two poor creatures from grave peril; if…” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9a9/voltaire-173_apes_the-shrieks-were-coming-from-two-quite-n_173005.jpg)
