Examples Of Satire In Candide
Candide Questions
1. Describe three targets of Voltaire’s satires in Candide? Using Candide, cite one example for each.
In Candide, there are three targets: religion, optimism and the military. An example for criticism of religion is on page 10, “When a brutish sailor struck him roughly and laid him sprawling; but with the violence of the blow he himself tumbled head foremost overboard… Honest James ran to his assistance, hauled him up, and from the effort he made was precipitated into the sea in sight of the sailor, who left him to perish, without deigning to look at him”. Even though James was “good” and the sailor was evil and selfish, James was the one who died. Voltaire is targeting religion, because supposedly, a Christian should “love thy neighbor”. This is also an example of criticism of optimism. The unreasonable reasoning of …show more content…
Pangloss makes this situation ironic.
Another example for criticism of optimism is on page 49, “They saw a negro stretched upon the ground, with only one moiety of his clothes… the poor man had lost his left leg and his right hand… ‘Now, you must agree, that it is impossible to treat one’s relations in a more barbarous manner’”. Voltaire shows that the world is not good, but instead filled with evil and cruelty.
An example for criticism of the military is on page 5, “He had advanced two leagues when he was overtaken by four others… which laid bare all his muscles and nerves, from the nape of his neck quite down to his rump. As they were going to proceed to a third whipping, Candide, able to bear no more, begged as a favour that they would be so good as to shoot him. He obtained this favour; they bandaged his eyes, and bade him kneel down”. Voltaire shows that the military is an evil institution.
2.
Voltaire detested the romantic fiction of the 17th and 18th centuries and enjoyed parodying this genre. Cite two specific examples from Candide.
One example of parodying romantic fiction is on page 5, “Candide, who trembled like a philosopher, hid himself as well as he could during this heroic butchery”. Normally, during a battle, the protagonist heroically takes part in the battle, saving the day. However, in this book, very little text is devoted to describing the battle. Voltaire is against war and wants to expose how unromantic it really is.
Another example of how Voltaire makes a parody out of the romantic fiction of time is on page 82, “The tender, loving Candide, seeing his beautiful Cunegonde embrowned, with blood-shot eyes, withered neck, wrinkled cheeks, and rough, red arms, recoiled three paces, seized with horror, and then advanced out of good manners. This is ironic, because in the typical romantic story, there is a happy ending. However in Candide, the opposite happens because Voltaire wants to show that there are no happy endings in real life.
3. Why did Voltaire include James the Anabaptist in the
story?
James represents the Christian ideals of “love thy neighbor”. He takes care of Candide and Pangloss. He also saves a sailor, who ungratefully lets James die. Voltaire is saying that there still are people with morals
4. Voltaire has been regarded as cynic. Is there evidence that he had not lost faith in mankind?
Yes, there is evidence that he has not lost faith in mankind. First of all, by writing this story, he hopes to enlighten the wise, and spark change. He hopes that there will be more people like James the Anabaptist who do good.
5. Reread the El Dorado segments, chapters 17 and 18. Connect these segments to Voltaire’s view on religion and mankind.
Voltaire sees El Dorado as a utopia, or the perfect world. In this place everyone lives happily. There are no prisons, courts, or persecution. El Dorado represents Voltaire’s idea of how the world should be.
6. What was Martin’s role in Candide’s adventures? Reread chapter 19. Explain.
7. The rhetorical device of euphemism is use in Candide. Explain the meaning of the term and give an example from the work.
8. Central to the understanding of Voltaire’s philosophy in Candide are the quotations listed below. Discuss your interpretation of each of the quotes relative to Voltaire:
a. “All is for the best… in the best of possible worlds”
Voltaire is very against this belief and lampoons it in his work. Pangloss is always optimistic despite all the terrible things that happen to him. Voltaire is showing that this world is not the best of possible worlds. He gives El Dorado, as an example of a perfect world.
b. “We must cultivate our garden”
This means that ignorance is bliss. Cultivate a garden represents living humbly and simply. Voltaire is saying that one should only worry about himself and not about the entire world. This is a pessimistic view on life because it represents giving up hope for the world, since nothing can be done about the evil and corruption that exists.
1. Describe three targets of Voltaire’s satires in Candide? Using Candide, cite one example for each.
In Candide, there are three targets: religion, optimism and the military. An example for criticism of religion is on page 10, “When a brutish sailor struck him roughly and laid him sprawling; but with the violence of the blow he himself tumbled head foremost overboard… Honest James ran to his assistance, hauled him up, and from the effort he made was precipitated into the sea in sight of the sailor, who left him to perish, without deigning to look at him”. Even though James was “good” and the sailor was evil and selfish, James was the one who died. Voltaire is targeting religion, because supposedly, a Christian should “love thy neighbor”. This is also an example of criticism of optimism. The unreasonable reasoning of …show more content…
Pangloss makes this situation ironic.
Another example for criticism of optimism is on page 49, “They saw a negro stretched upon the ground, with only one moiety of his clothes… the poor man had lost his left leg and his right hand… ‘Now, you must agree, that it is impossible to treat one’s relations in a more barbarous manner’”. Voltaire shows that the world is not good, but instead filled with evil and cruelty.
An example for criticism of the military is on page 5, “He had advanced two leagues when he was overtaken by four others… which laid bare all his muscles and nerves, from the nape of his neck quite down to his rump. As they were going to proceed to a third whipping, Candide, able to bear no more, begged as a favour that they would be so good as to shoot him. He obtained this favour; they bandaged his eyes, and bade him kneel down”. Voltaire shows that the military is an evil institution.
2.
Voltaire detested the romantic fiction of the 17th and 18th centuries and enjoyed parodying this genre. Cite two specific examples from Candide.
One example of parodying romantic fiction is on page 5, “Candide, who trembled like a philosopher, hid himself as well as he could during this heroic butchery”. Normally, during a battle, the protagonist heroically takes part in the battle, saving the day. However, in this book, very little text is devoted to describing the battle. Voltaire is against war and wants to expose how unromantic it really is.
Another example of how Voltaire makes a parody out of the romantic fiction of time is on page 82, “The tender, loving Candide, seeing his beautiful Cunegonde embrowned, with blood-shot eyes, withered neck, wrinkled cheeks, and rough, red arms, recoiled three paces, seized with horror, and then advanced out of good manners. This is ironic, because in the typical romantic story, there is a happy ending. However in Candide, the opposite happens because Voltaire wants to show that there are no happy endings in real life.
3. Why did Voltaire include James the Anabaptist in the
story?
James represents the Christian ideals of “love thy neighbor”. He takes care of Candide and Pangloss. He also saves a sailor, who ungratefully lets James die. Voltaire is saying that there still are people with morals
4. Voltaire has been regarded as cynic. Is there evidence that he had not lost faith in mankind?
Yes, there is evidence that he has not lost faith in mankind. First of all, by writing this story, he hopes to enlighten the wise, and spark change. He hopes that there will be more people like James the Anabaptist who do good.
5. Reread the El Dorado segments, chapters 17 and 18. Connect these segments to Voltaire’s view on religion and mankind.
Voltaire sees El Dorado as a utopia, or the perfect world. In this place everyone lives happily. There are no prisons, courts, or persecution. El Dorado represents Voltaire’s idea of how the world should be.
6. What was Martin’s role in Candide’s adventures? Reread chapter 19. Explain.
7. The rhetorical device of euphemism is use in Candide. Explain the meaning of the term and give an example from the work.
8. Central to the understanding of Voltaire’s philosophy in Candide are the quotations listed below. Discuss your interpretation of each of the quotes relative to Voltaire:
a. “All is for the best… in the best of possible worlds”
Voltaire is very against this belief and lampoons it in his work. Pangloss is always optimistic despite all the terrible things that happen to him. Voltaire is showing that this world is not the best of possible worlds. He gives El Dorado, as an example of a perfect world.
b. “We must cultivate our garden”
This means that ignorance is bliss. Cultivate a garden represents living humbly and simply. Voltaire is saying that one should only worry about himself and not about the entire world. This is a pessimistic view on life because it represents giving up hope for the world, since nothing can be done about the evil and corruption that exists.