Reading Notes W4: Candide, Part A

Candide is a tale that allows you as a reader, while reading to observe and conclude on various concepts, such as: Optimism, human reasoning, orthodox religion, Deism (God created the world and then stands back, allowing nature to follow its own laws while never intervening), the need for war and disaster as a way of balance, and social class (wealthy/impoverished).

Voltaire was an Enlightenment thinker, yet he was not an atheist but believed in Deism. He has an unyielding passion for social justice.  He addresses what many people want to ignore or sweep under the rug so to speak, “Candide encapsulated the many problems that stoked Voltaire’s angry and fed his satire: absolutism and religious bigotry unnecessary bloodshed, restrictions on freedom of speech and religion, and the intolerable reality of human suffering” (354). Therefore, he inspired great revolutionary leaders. Personally, I believe, great leaders such as Voltaire are great not because of their literary ability or great philosophical ideas, but when you have the boldness to let them be heard and their willingness to stand by it all cost for the sake of justice for all. 

In the beginning of the story, readers are immediately introduced to some of the main characters:

• Candide, the young son of the Baron’s sister. Candide mom refuses to marry his dad because of his inconsequential ranking (social class introduced). 

• Cunegonde, the beautiful young daughter of the Baroness.
• Doctor Pangloss, who at times can be viewed as a protagonist and antagonist in certain plots of the story.  He believes in the science of cause and effect.

Candide respects and honors the Doctor Pangloss, yet in the same breath does not allow himself to see the foolish philosophy of Pangloss.  He continues to rely on the teaching of Doctor Pangloss, even after he is kicked out of the castle for kissing Cunegonde. He questions his teachings at times but concludes that Pangloss knows best.

Candide inability to reason outside the teaching of Doctor Pangloss is what causes him to be deceived and involuntarily recruited by the Bulgars. “Everything happens for the best.” He was kicked out and now two strangers are willing to render him mutual aide, offering him money and to pay his bills (357). He is introduced to the wickedness of men. Beat for taking a walk (Voltaire entertainingly downplays the privileges of human being and animals to ridicule the notion that men don’t have the divine right to free will as a human) (358).

Chapter Three readers are introduced to the bigotry of religion by the orator, who ironically is preaching on the topic charity. Yet, to receive charity Candide a humble, honest man in need, who have suffered injustice at the hands of the Bulgars is hungry and in great need, yet their only concern is what he professes.  Voltaire does not condemn religion, but the abuse of it because he introduces, Jacques, a good Anabaptist man, who extends charity to Candide. We see again, Candide turning to Pangloss teaching, concluding that he was far more grateful of the kindness because of the cruel treatment by the orator and his wife. 

"The Tables Turn"

Poor Doctor Pangloss is now in a worse than Candide. He is dying of a disease that he contracted from a woman. He also informs him that his beloved Cunegonde was dead. Candide for the first time is struggling with the teaching of cause and effect of it all? He begins to trace this disease (which could be symbolic for organized religion and the hypocrisy of these supposed noble and religious leaders) The disease apparently started with the companions of Christopher Columbus who is viewed as the man responsible for spreading this form of Christianity (360). He slept with the maid and in return had to deal with the suffering unto his death.

Throughout the story Candide is given the opportunity to steer away from the foolish teachings of Pangloss, even when he is unsure of it and when he sees clearly that Pangloss is a hypocrite his own teachings, but repeatedly he holds to how he has been trained to think. He is on a journey of learning life lessons and hopefully in the end will come to his own intellectual and experiential.