Candide

A satire by Voltaire.

Historical Context

According to http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/voltaire3.htm, this is the historical background on Candide. The eighteenth century was a time of new ideas and perspectives. The European intellectual movement known as the Enlightenment changed the way man viewed his world. Reason, not spirituality or intuition, was the road to understanding the world in which he lived. Isaac Newton introduced the notion that the universe was governed by set and discoverable laws. This concept undermined the faith in a personal God. Tolerance of varying religious beliefs was advocated by philosophers such as Voltaire. Churches should not interfere with scientific research. In politics, the authoritarian state, as exemplified by such absolute monarchs as Louis IV of France, came into disrepute. By the end of the 1700's the idea of self-government had resulted in reform in England and revolution in France and America. Europe moved from an agrarian economy to an industrial one. At the close of this century the world had changed dramatically as the advances in science, political democracy, and religious freedom swept away the last vestiges of the Middle Ages. Now the belief that human history was a record of general progress and that the condition of mankind would only get better with each succeeding generation fostered a halo of optimism.

Themes

According to http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/voltaire3.htm, these are some of the themes to consider. Comic invention; loyalty; utopia; satire; war as play; treatment of garden; evil; religion; optimism.

Characters

Candide

A good natured fellow who is in love with Cunégonde. His love for Cunégonde gets him banned from The Baron of Thunder-Ten-Tronckh's castle, for stealing a mere kiss from his beloved crush. It is also important to remember that Candide is the Baron's illegitimate nephew. He seems to have a "black cloud" covering him wherever he goes. This is shown when he starts murdering his beloved's capturers, in order to save her. His choices are easily influenced and they lead him down a path of destruction and dispair wherever he goes.

Cunégonde

The young beautiful daughter of the baron. She is raped and tortured by the Bulgars, while witnessing her family's execution. She is traded may times as a slave. She is given an old slave woman, whom finally reunites her with Candide. While on their journey to South America and out of money, she becomes engaged to the governor of Buenos Aries. It seems that no matter how hard they try, she and Candide cannot seem to get together.

Pangloss

An optomistic philosopher in the Thunder-Ten-Tronckh's castle. He is Candide and Cunegonde's professor. After the castle tragedy, Candide meets up with him begging on the street. He is weak and sick from sypilis. He is taken in by the Anabaptist, Jacques. In return for medical treatment the Anabaptist makes him the bookkeeper for his business. Pangloss is finally hung for his beliefs.

Jacques

The good Anabaptist who rescued Candide from the “cruel and heartless treatment” inflicted by the black-coated man and his scandalous wife (381). He graciously took Candide home and gave him a bath, bread and beer, two florins, and a job. His charitable nature also moved him to take in Candide’s long-lost friend, Pangloss, and have him cured of the pox at his own expense. Two months later his good deeds cost him his life: Jacques drowned during a horrible tempest after aiding a merciless sailor.

The old woman

She was born the daughter of Pope Urban the Tenth. She was the Princess of Palestrina until her ship was taken over by pirates. The old woman's life parallels that of Cunégonde in the way that they were both born into a life of privilege and eventually end up as slaves. Both being tortured and raped many times over and left for dead. The old woman, despite life's challanges, states, "I wanted to kill myself, but always I loved life more" (Moliere 396). She seems real optimistic and seems to hang in there during the trials and tribulations of her life. These two women form a common bond, and the old woman finally reunites Candide and Cunégonde. She remains a servant until she is befriended by Candide and Cunégonde.

Paquette

She is the maidservant to the Baroness. She "caused these torments of hell" from which Pangloss is suffering (383).

Cacambo

He was brought from Cadiz to be Candide's valet. He is honest and speakes many different languages. He even saves Candide from Biglugs, and becomes a valued friend and confidant.

Don Fernando d'Ibaraa y Figueora y Mascarenes y Lampourdos y Souza

The arrogant governor of Buenos Aries. He finds Cunegonde attractive. Despite Cunegonde and Candide being engaged the governor takes her in as his mistress and plans to marry her.

Martin

A scholar whom Candide meets while traveling. He is very intelligent, but has a pessimistic view of the world. "Martin bends all perceptions of good into a system that makes evil (anxiety, boredom, ect.)the dominate force in the universe" (Campbell 113).

Don Issachar

A wealthy, Jewish man who tries to win the affection of Cunegonde. He shares this fight for affection with The Grand Inquisitor.

Critical Perspectives

Analysis of The Old Woman

The Old Woman is unique in that she is the only character to experience no change throughout the story. She comes into the story "immune to change," and is "an icon of what all will become by the end of the tale" (Marsh). It is the old woman who proves that only true effort and work will rebuild and regenerate these other characters who have suffered so much throughout the story (Marsh).

Resources

• Candide — The full text
• SparkNotes
• Resources for study of Voltaire's Candide
• Wikipedia entry
• [1]

Works Cited

Campbell, John. The Book of Great Books. New York: Metrobooks,1997.

Marsh, Leonard. "Voltaire's Candide." Explicator, Spring 2004, Vol. 62 Issue 3, p144-146 [2]

Moliere, Francois "Candide." The Norton Anthology of Western Literature Ed. Hugo, Howard, et al. 8th ed. New York: W W Norton & Company, 2005. 396.