Candide and Other Works

Voltaire is regarded as one of the top three French authors of the 18th century. Throughout his lifetime, he actively opposed religious intolerance, prejudice, and social injustice, and he is often credited as a key thinker who laid the groundwork for the French Revolution. This collection features several of his works: "Zadig" (1748), which tells the story of a young man ascending to the throne of Babylon; "Candide" (1759), Voltaire's most renowned narrative; and a newly translated version of "The Ingenu" (1767), where the protagonist, raised by Huron Indians, encounters European culture. The characters in these stories are youthful, attractive, gifted, and inexperienced. These tales are infused with Voltaire's sharp wit and critique of the ancien régime society. Additionally, the compilation concludes with a new translation of "Nanine," a three-act comedy by Voltaire, initially viewed as risky for its meritocratic message and later considered anti-revolutionary. In this play, the protagonist falls in love with a maid. The central question is whether he can defy societal biases to marry her.