Voltaires Candide and Goethes The Sorrows of Young Werther

Voltaires Candide and Goethes The Sorrows of Young Werther In the literary `movements of neo-classicism and romanticism, Voltaires Candide and Goethes The Sorrows of Young Werther represent the literary age in which they were written. In the following composition, textual evidence will be provided to demonstrate how each book accurately represents either the neo-classicism age or the romanticism age. Candide and The Sorrows of Young Werther will be examined separately, and then examined together. After, a discussion about how each age seems to view the nature of man and the significance of moral and spiritual values will be presented. Also, a personal interpretation of the conclusion of each book will be given. Lastly, quotes†¦show more content†¦When Candide was faced with the true reality about Pacquette and the monk, he was unable to accept that all was not well, `That sir...is one more misery of this way of life. Yesterday I was robbed and beaten by an officer, and to-day I must appear good humored to please a monk. This w as enough for Candide (Candide, 116). The second characteristic from the neo-classicism age that is present in Candide is Love=Sex. At the beginning of the book, Candides outlook on Cunegonde was purely physical, he found Lady Cunegonde extremely beautiful...Their lips met, their eyes flashed, their knees trembled, and their hands would not keep still (Candide, 20-21). By the end of the book, after searching for her the whole duration of the story, his outlook on Cunegonde has changed, Even the fond lover himself drew back aghast at seeing how weatherbeaten his lovely Cunegonde had become, for her eyes were bloodshot, her throat was wizened, her cheeks were wrinkled, and her arms were red and scaly (Candide, 137). It is plain to see that this love is only based on physical attraction, as opposed to spiritual. The third characteristic of the neo-classicism time period that is represented in Candide was the preference for an urbane, civilized society. In Candide, much of the setting takes place in an urban society, rathe r than rural society. He has been to all sorts of civilized towns and neighborhoods, such