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Candide: Difference between revisions
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==Historical Context== | ==Historical Context== | ||
In history, many things have come about to shape the way we think and believe today. The 18th century was no exception. In the 18th century new ideas and philosophies were popping up everywhere. There was an intellectual movement in Europe which is now known as as the Enlightment. This movement started to change the way the common man viewed his world and everything in it. This time period is also known as the Age of Reason. Isaac Newton introduced the idea that the universe was governed by set laws that were also able to be discovered. This concept was detremental to the way people had prevously thought, because it undermined the faith in a personal God. Newton is most famous for his discovery of gravity. It was believed by many philosphers, such as Voltaire, that churches should not interfere with scientific research. If churches did interfere, however, this could somehow sway the findings in the scientific community. By swaying the findings, the scientists could lean more heavely on the common beliefs of the church, rather than on their research findings, which may suggest otherwise. This may have quite possibly been the first pretense to the seperation of church and state. By the end of the 1700's, the idea of self-government had changed in England and started a revolution in France and America. Europe moved from an rural farming economy to an industrial one. At the end of this century the known world had changed dramatically as the advances in science, political democracy, and religious freedom washed away the last traces of the Middle Ages (Gunnels & Sutton | In history, many things have come about to shape the way we think and believe today. The 18th century was no exception. In the 18th century new ideas and philosophies were popping up everywhere. There was an intellectual movement in Europe which is now known as as the Enlightment. This movement started to change the way the common man viewed his world and everything in it. This time period is also known as the Age of Reason. Isaac Newton introduced the idea that the universe was governed by set laws that were also able to be discovered. This concept was detremental to the way people had prevously thought, because it undermined the faith in a personal God. Newton is most famous for his discovery of gravity. It was believed by many philosphers, such as Voltaire, that churches should not interfere with scientific research. If churches did interfere, however, this could somehow sway the findings in the scientific community. By swaying the findings, the scientists could lean more heavely on the common beliefs of the church, rather than on their research findings, which may suggest otherwise. This may have quite possibly been the first pretense to the seperation of church and state. By the end of the 1700's, the idea of self-government had changed in England and started a revolution in France and America. Europe moved from an rural farming economy to an industrial one. At the end of this century the known world had changed dramatically as the advances in science, political democracy, and religious freedom washed away the last traces of the Middle Ages (Gunnels & Sutton). | ||
The Enlightment Movement brought about many changes in the area of literature as well as science and philosphy. Many changes were made in the way people thought, and the changes that were brought about in this period have been constantly ever changing. It was the end of one era, and the begining of a new one. The Enlightment Movement could be one of the most influencial periods in history. | The Enlightment Movement brought about many changes in the area of literature as well as science and philosphy. Many changes were made in the way people thought, and the changes that were brought about in this period have been constantly ever changing. It was the end of one era, and the begining of a new one. The Enlightment Movement could be one of the most influencial periods in history. | ||
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"So, even if this world seems utterly mad, no suggestion exists that it lacks a final arbiter of order and sanity. Even the most pessimistic figure, [[http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/litwiki/index.php/Candide#Martin Martin]], never denies God, espousing rather a philosophy according to which the Devil seems on level terms with Him." (Mason, 64) | "So, even if this world seems utterly mad, no suggestion exists that it lacks a final arbiter of order and sanity. Even the most pessimistic figure, [[http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/litwiki/index.php/Candide#Martin Martin]], never denies God, espousing rather a philosophy according to which the Devil seems on level terms with Him." (Mason, 64) | ||
===Religious Oppression=== | |||
There are several examples of religious oppression. The Grande Inqusitor uses his power as an officer of the church to threaten Don Issachar with the auto de fate (386). The Biglugs deceide not to eat Candide and Cacambo because they are not Jesuits (403). In both cases the person or people in charge have used religion to threaten or save a life based upon their position and power. | |||
===Political Oppression === | |||
An example of politcal oppression is when Candide gets conscrpited into the Bulgar army (403). He was both homeless and penniless, therefore an easy target to become enslaved in their military. | |||
==Characters== | ==Characters== | ||
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===Pangloss=== | ===Pangloss=== | ||
An optomistic philosopher in the Thunder-Ten-Tronckh's castle. He served as Candide and Cunegonde's childhood professor and later as Candide | An optomistic philosopher in the Thunder-Ten-Tronckh's castle. He served as Candide and Cunegonde's childhood professor and later as Candide's mentor. His views on life are that everything that happens, whether it be good or bad, was meant to be. His optimism is almost unbelievable considering the hardships he must face throughtout <em>Candide</em>. He falls ill from syphilis after he "tasted the delights of paradise"(383) in the arms of the maidservant, Paquette. Despite losing and eye and ear to the disease he insists that, "everything was for the best" (383). He proves his intellect to Candide by reasoning that "the bay of Lisbon had been formed expressly for this Anabaptist to drown in" after Jacques' death (384). Pangloss is finally hanged for his beliefs during a auto-da-fe. | ||
===Jacques=== | ===Jacques=== | ||
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===Paquette=== | ===Paquette=== | ||
She is the maidservant to the Baroness. She "caused these torments of hell" from which Pangloss is suffering (383). | She is the maidservant to the Baroness. She "caused these torments of hell" from which Pangloss is suffering (383). She ends up prostituting to support herself. Towards the end she runs into Candide. So touched by her story he gives her some money for her troubles. | ||
===Cacambo=== | ===Cacambo=== | ||