Candide: Difference between revisions

Line 57: Line 57:
A scholar whom Candide meets while traveling.  He is very intelligent, but has a pessimistic view of the world, perhaps due to unfortunate events in the course of his life. "Martin bends all perceptions of good into a system that makes evil (anxiety, boredom, etc.)the dominate force in the universe" (Campbell 113).
A scholar whom Candide meets while traveling.  He is very intelligent, but has a pessimistic view of the world, perhaps due to unfortunate events in the course of his life. "Martin bends all perceptions of good into a system that makes evil (anxiety, boredom, etc.)the dominate force in the universe" (Campbell 113).


Martin is a direct counterpart to Pangloss.  Pangloss sees the world as the best possible place, while Martin sees it as the exact opposite.  Martin's philosophy is as follows: " Do you believe, said Martin, that hawks have always eaten pigeons when they could get them?  Well, said Martin, if hawks have always had the same character, why do you suppose that men have changed?" (414).  Thus, Martin believes that men have always been cruel and will always be cruel.Martin's pessimism also draws parallels to another character, Jacques the Anabaptist.  Jacques is also pessimistic, but unlike Martin, he believes that kindness goes a long way towards redemption for mankind.
Martin is a direct counterpart to [[http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/litwiki/index.php/Candide#Pangloss Pangloss]].  Pangloss sees the world as the best possible place, while Martin sees it as the exact opposite.  Martin's philosophy is as follows: " Do you believe, said Martin, that hawks have always eaten pigeons when they could get them?  Well, said Martin, if hawks have always had the same character, why do you suppose that men have changed?" (414).  Thus, Martin believes that men have always been cruel and will always be cruel.Martin's pessimism also draws parallels to another character, [[http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/litwiki/index.php/Candide#Jacques Jacques the Anabaptist]].  Jacques is also pessimistic, but unlike Martin, he believes that kindness goes a long way towards redemption for mankind.


===Don Issachar===
===Don Issachar===
87

edits