Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne
The Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne (Poem on the Lisbon Disaster) was a poem in French composed by Voltaire, regarding the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. It is widely regarded as introducing the theme of Voltaire's acclaimed work Candide. The poem was composed in December, 1755; it was published in 1756, being one hundred and eighty lines in length.[1]
Background
The earthquake on November 1, 1755 had completely devastated Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. The city was reduced to ruins, and an estimated 90,000 people were killed. Being one of the most destructive earthquakes in history, the event had a major effect on the cultural consciousness of much of Europe. Voltaire was one of many philosophers, theologians and intellectuals to be deeply affected by the disaster. Catholics attempted to explain the disaster as God's wrath, invited by the sinfulness of the people of Portugal and the presence of some Protestants and Jesuits; Protestants blamed the Portuguese for being Catholic, thus being punished by God.[1]
Voltaire's philosophical pessimism was affirmed by the the great earthquake provided incontrovertible proof that optimistic attitudes and the notion of "for the greater good" were false. Voltaire was convinced that there existed no benign and concerned deity that would guide the virtuous and punish the sinful. Voltaire asserted that accident played a major part in life, that people were basically weak, helpless, ignorant of their destiny. They might well hope for a happier state, but that was the logical limit of their optimism.[1]
Theme and interpretation
Voltaire is deeply moved by the humanitarian crisis created by the earthquake, and questions if a just and compassionate God could seek to punish sins through such terrible means.[1] Voltaire questioned that could not an omnipotent God achieve his purpose in another way? The earthquake could have occurred in some distant unpopulated area. And should one conclude that the victims should die consoled by the thought that the terrifying event occurred for the general good? God he respected, but he loved weak mortals.[1]
And can you then impute a sinful deed
To babes who on their mothers' bosoms bleed?
Was then more vice in fallen Lisbon found,
Than Paris, where voluptuous joys abound?
Was less debauchery to London known,
Where opulence luxurious holds the throne?
He rejected the charge that selfishness and pride had made him rebel against suffering:
When the earth gapes my body to entomb,
I justly may complain of such a doom.
In the poem, Voltaire rejected the doctrine of necessity; it provided no comfort for him. Believing that all living things seemed doomed to live in a cruel world, belief in providence was not possible. Voltaire concludes that human beings are weak, know nothing and are condemned to suffer grief throughout life. There is no divine system or message as guidance, and God does not concern himself with human beings.[1]
We rise in thought to the heavenly throne,
But our own nature still remains unknown.
Recall the pessimistic reply of the dervish to Pangloss, who expressed the desire to probe the meaning of life and man's destiny.
Criticism
Through his work, Voltaire criticized religious figures and philosophers such as Alexander Pope, and was in turn criticized by Jean Jacques Rousseau; Rousseau was mailed a copy of the poem by Voltaire, who received a letter carrying Rousseau's criticism on August 18, 1756. [1] Rousseau criticized Voltaire for seeking to apply science to spiritual questions, and he argued that evil is necessary to the existence of the universe and that particular evils form the general good. Rousseau implied that Voltaire must either renounce the concept of Providence or conclude that it is, in the last analysis, beneficial. Rousseau was convinced that Voltaire had written Candide as a rebuttal to the argument he had made.[1]