Candide
Candide is a French satire novel written by Voltaire during the Enlightenment period. The novel tells the life story of Candide, a young and honest man from Westphalia. He falls in love with Cundegonde , the beautiful daughter of the Baron of the Thunder-ten-Thronckh. Later he is forced to leave Westphalia therefore begins his adventures throughout many different countries. Throughout his advantures, Candide’s beliefs and experiences have changed dramatically. The novel reflects a type of writing known as bildungsroman. Bildungsroman is a story in which the main character moves from a state of innocence and inexperienced to a state of wisdom and maturity through his or her experiences.
The beginning course of bildungsroman is that the protagonist has some reason to go on a journey such as a bad behavior makes the protagonist to leave from his or her current life’s setting. At the beginning of Candide, it tells that Candide was a son of the Baron’s sister. He was a perfect innocent man who worshiped Pangloss, a philosopher of Optimism. He listens to Pangloss’ philosophies attentively and believes innocently. These philosophies have caused Candide and Cundegonde to fall in love with each other. The baron finds out about the relationship and kicks Candide out of the castle. This incident is the most important reason that forces Candide to leaves his current life in Westphalia. It also starts the adventures that have developed Candide’s state of wisdom and maturity.
The process of maturing of Candide is long and consisting of repeated clashed between needs and judgments by the society. On Chapter 14, page 82, Voltaire writes : “I have delivered thee out of the galleys, I have paid thy ransom, and thy sister’s also; she was a scullion, and is very ugly, yet I am so condescending as to marry her; and does thou pretend to oppose the match? I should kill thee again, were I only to consult my anger.” This is an example of clashes between needs and judgments...
Please login to view the full essay...