The Deeper Significance Of Voltaire's Candide

Without careful scrutiny, the story of Candide appears no more than an average tale of an average man in search of fulfillment. In the absence of historical context, the eloquence of Voltaire’s words carries little substance and his vivid description remains empty. While the story of Candide is itself captivating, the work carries a far deeper significance. Candide primarily serves to reveal Voltaire’s Enlightenment philosophies through the satire of numerous 18th century institutions and realities. It reinforces concepts such as religious skepticism, cultural relativism, and secular thought. Voltaire ultimately addressees the reality of human existence and the path to fulfillment. Candide is a fitting Enlightenment doctrine in the context
of an increasingly global and secular 18th century world (Spielvogel, 2010). In the story’s opening Voltaire introduces the reader to the protagonist, Candide. Initially Voltaire portrays his handsome and intelligent protagonist as somewhat of a blank slate. Voltaire writes, “His countenance was a true picture of his soul. He combined a true judgement with simplicity of spirit…” (Voltaire, 1918). In this passage, Voltaire paints Candide as an innocent and morally sound individual, however, it remains apparent that Candide lacks experience of the outside world. This blank slate theory or Tabula Rasa dictates that people begin life without any knowledge, ability, or tendency - which they later gain through experience and exposure (tabula rasa, 2015). Such is an initial example of Enlightenment era theory within Candide.
In the earlier pages of the epic, Voltaire introduces the reader to the primary love interest of Candide. Cunegonde, the daughter of a powerful baroness, emerges quickly as the sole object of Candide’s affection. Candide’s love for her marks the beginning of his epic journey and Cunegonde serves as a primary driver of the plot. Candide’s journey begins with his expulsion from the baron’s home after the Baroness discovers Candide eloping with Cunegonde. On a solemn walk from his home kingdom he encounters a band of Bulgarians who force him into a military training regimen. Following a failed escape, the Bulgarians exact a fierce punishment upon him, but they eventually absolve Candide only in light of his innocent nature After escaping from the Bulgarians, a generous Anabaptist gives Candide sanctuary in his home.
While on walk, Candide discovers his old teacher Pangloss in a wretched state on the side of the road. Pangloss soon reveals to Candide the death of his beloved Cunegonde. At this point he experiences the full brunt of loss and grief. Throughout the story, loss remains at the root of Candide’s suffering and an important theme in the novel.
Candide, the Anabaptist, and Pangloss sail for the city of Lisbon as a horrific tempest sweeps through their destination. The storm ravages a great portion of the city and this leads the local clergy to look for a means of appeasing God. The religious leaders of Lisbon hang Pangloss and mercilessly whip Candide, in a public ceremony. This satire of Christian corruption serves as an early reference to Voltaire’s secular tendencies.
With Candide near death, a mysterious old woman nurses him back to good health. The woman reveals very little about herself until Candide has recovered from his injuries. After his condition improves, the woman leads Candide to an upscale residence where, to his astonishment, Cunegonde awaits him. Candide soon learns of her arduous journey to Lisbon and that two competing, and powerful, men are courting Cunegonde against her will. In a matter of moments, both suitors appear in succession and Candide slays them with little hesitance. The trio of Candide, Cunegonde and the old woman escape on
horseback.
Candide uses his military experience to earn the respect of a Spanish general. The general grants him his own captaincy and Candide and his companions set sail for the new world. During Candide’s voyage, Voltaire brings another aspect of his Enlightenment philosophy to the forefront. He writes, in the words of the old woman, “you do not know my birth; and were I to show you my backside, you would not talk in that manner…” (Voltaire, 1918). In this scene Cunegonde questions the legitimacy of the old woman’s suffering. In turn, the relativity of her own suffering becomes apparent as the reader learns that the old woman experienced far greater tragedy in her life. Here Voltaire introduces us to the concept of relativism which addresses the necessity for context when looking at any issue. Cunegonde’s ignorance is only a result of her upbringing.
After Candide’s ship lands in Buenos Aires the trio encounters the city’s governor. The man proposes his love for Cunegonde and the old woman recommends that she accept his nuptial offer. All the while, a ship, sent by the subordinates of Candide’s victim and Cunegonde’s former suitor, drops anchor outside of Buenos Aires. Candide flees the city and parts with his beloved Cunegonde against his will. He travels towards Jesuit lands accompanied by his valet Cacambo. Candide eventually arrives in the presence of the Jesuit commandant. During their meeting the commandant reveals his kindship with Cunegonde. The two warm up to each other quickly and Candide relays Cunegonde’s whereabouts. Things turn sour when Candide announces his intentions to marry Cunegonde. The commandant disapproves and Candide kills him in defiance.
Once more Candid flees with Cacambo at his side. The two travel through long stretches of jungle until they mistakenly kill the monkey friends of two tribal girls. While this initially seems taboo, Voltaire wishes to establish a contrast from European norms. A tribe called the Oreillons soon takes Candide and his valet captive by. With great persuasion they free Candide and Cacambo upon learning that Candide killed a Jesuit. The tribal people show the pair incredible hospitality and Voltaire writes, “What people… what men! What manners! If I had not been so lucky as to run Miss Cunegonde’s brother through the body, I should have been devoured without redemption” (Voltaire, 1918). As Voltaire paints this stark societal contrast, he reinforces the idea of relativity. Here is the first instance of cultural relativism in Candide and an example of Enlightenment era philosophical allusion. Cultural relativism is the idea that people should hold the actions and beliefs of a group in the context of that group’s native surrounding and traditions (Spielvogel, 2010). Candide’s acknowledgement of the Oreillons’ civility demonstrates this principle. As the tribal people are not beholden to, or even aware of, western culture, Voltaire forgives their perceived trespasses as their culture so plainly differs from that of Europe. This line of thinking originated during the age of exploration, as travelers discovered new cultures that did not align with European values. In turn, philosophes such as Voltaire championed this new cultural relativism in their writings (Spielvogel, 2010).
Candide and Cacambo soon depart from the land of the Oreillons and, after many days of travel, come upon a river. They hop into an abandoned canoe and row many miles until they arrive in an otherworldly land called El Dorado. The leader of the local city greets them as guests. The manner in which the people of El Dorado live surprises Candide as he struggles to grasp the fact that they worship differently than the Christians of Europe. At this point, Voltaire references his religious skepticism. He writes, in the words of several characters, “Do you worship but one God?.. Surely… there are not two, nor three, nor four. I must confess that people from your side of the world ask very extraordinary questions…Candide…wanted to know in what manner they prayed to God in El Dorado” (Voltaire, 1918). Here we see a justification for religious skepticism. The suggestion that an entirely different religious ideology could exist and succeed was revolutionary, and the prosperity and happiness of the mythical El Dorado inhabitants upheld this claim. Skepticism formed the basis of much Enlightenment thought as interactions with other cultures and the scientific revolution contradicted long held religious dogmas, forcing many to question their own beliefs (Spielvogel, 2010).
In the portion of the epic covering El Dorado, Voltaire also touches on the idea of cultural relativism. In an allusion to gold, Voltaire writes, in the words of the King, “I cannot conceive…what pleasure you Europeans find in our yellow clay, but take as much as you like, and great good may it do you” (Voltaire, 1918). This assertion of gold’s commonality would have surprised many European readers and Voltaire successfully reinforces the idea that the judgement of a culture requires context within the boundaries of that culture’s society.
Upon his departure, the local leader gifts Candide a large number of sheep all heavily packed with a hoard of precious stones and metals.
After another grueling journey, Candide and Cacambo arrive in Surinam where a conniving sailor steals Candide’s precious sheep and makes off with most of his bounty. Having sent Cacambo to ransom Cunegonde, Candide sets off for Bordeaux. Before the voyage he holds a gathering and chooses a fitting companion named Martin for his journey across the Atlantic. While on the open ocean, Candide remarkably recovers one of his treasure laden sheep after a Spanish vessel obliterated its thief’s ship. Voltaire continues his theme of loss as the unfairness that befalls Candide, throughout the novel, supports the necessity for religious skepticism. He seemingly questions why a just god, meeting the current Christian definition, could act so unfairly upon such a morally sound man as Candide. Such religious skepticism was the foundation of Voltaire’s Deism philosophy. Deism did not deny the existence of God, but rather the existence of divine intervention. Deism, therefore, begged for an increase in human accountability and action as a means of progress. In Deism, there existed no divine hand to arbitrate man’s problems (Spielvogel, 2010).
After a long series of events, Candide arrives in Turkey. For an extended period he mingled with the Paris elite. He then traveled to Venice where he met a number of deposed monarchs, but found no sign of Cunegonde.
He finally succeeds in his search after sailing to Turkey where he purchases the freedom of the indentured Cunegonde. In Turkey, Candide reunites with many of his former companions freeing them from slavery with his remaining El Dorado treasure. The whole assortment of comrades settles down on a Turkish farm and Candide soon weds Cunegonde.
Near the end of the story Voltaire orchestrates a subtle yet paramount message. In the words of Martin, Voltaire writes, “I want to know which is worse, to be ravished a hundred times by negro pirates, to have a buttock cut off,… to go through all the miseries we have undergone, or to stay here and have nothing to do” (Voltaire, 1918). Voltaire’s message begins with the assertion that while Candide and his companions endured severe brutality and suffering, they spent their days occupied and with a goal in mind. Here stands the most prominent philosophical pillar of Voltaire’s Candide: To be idle is to suffer in mind more than any pain resulting from enterprise. Thus, loss appears a final time. As Candide settles down, he begins to lose his perceived purpose and experiences the same loss that haunted him throughout the novel. Voltaire ends Candide with a metaphorical manifesto. He concludes, in the words of the protagonist, “All that is very well,” answered Candide, “but let us cultivate our garden” (Voltaire, 1918). The Garden symbolizes Candide’s newfound ambition. Voltaire ends with this line, as it demonstrates the human necessity for purpose and, ultimately, fulfillment.