Voltaires Candide: Female Characters - Book Report/Review Example

Voltaire’s Candide: Female Characters Voltaire’s Candide: Female Characters Introduction As far as, themes and characterizations are concerned, Candide is a marvelous piece of writing. It has various levels of its suggestiveness and thematic significance. The same is reflected in its over all plot construction, action development and thematic aura. Women exploitation and exercising tyrannical and oppressing measures is a recurrent theme in the novella. Voltaire exposes what has been prevalent in 18th century Europe as well as in the rest of the world cultures. Female characters have been shown inhumanly beaten, molested, raped, enslaved and sold again and again from one hand to another. Although, Voltaire was popular for having vocally favored and propagated the equal rights of women, yet, this feeling is not noticeably perceptible in Candide, particularly taking into consideration the reality that the major female characters are negatively portrayed as prostitutes, lustful women that marry for wealth, infected disease-carriers, and most prominently victims. In general, while Voltaire’s effort was definitely seditious and critical of society, any prospective revolutionary value lies only within the sagacity that it uncovered weaknesses in the prevailing communal configuration. Female Characters; Evolution of Sufferings Throughout the novella, its female characters have endured numerous challenges and undergone extreme sufferings, which have made it tremendously difficult for Candide to continue to believe Panglosss philosophy. Humans are either destined to live in misery or in the lethargy of boredom. This is ridiculing and is brought about by the famous saying, "All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds". And in no way are we meant to be receiving Pangloss as a believable character; like Candide he is over exaggerated and distorted to the extent that his philosophy is almost inseparable from his character. One finds that Pangloss is a recurring nightmare of Candide in the way that he constantly returns from moments of almost certain peril alive, and therefore re-ignites the morsels of optimism that Candide still contains. Pangloss maintains that this is the best of all possible worlds, when really they are living in a cave, cut off from the suffering that still rages in the outside world. The Writer’s Purpose of Specific Depiction of Female Characters One must assume that his main purpose throughout the novella is that he provides a hole through which Voltaire can attack the optimists, but underlyingly to keep the story alive in the way that Candide still maintains faith and optimism that all will turn out well in the end. The significance of the Eldorado episode is to provide a frame of reference from which to compare Europe. Voltaire uses Eldorado rhetorically to contrast vices of the real world. What he is really doing is enforcing the fact that Europe is full of evil, sarcastically saying, "If you hadn’t noticed yet this is how bad Europe is," compared with somewhere in South America. But the Eldorado episode brings Candide riches, and this is a chance for Voltaire to put Candide up on a pedestal and then bring him right down again, and lower. Candide loses all his money and realizes that it just makes him a target for all sorts of swindlers, like the Vanderdendur and the Surinamese officers who try and get as much money from Candide as possible. Eldoardo is Voltaire’s paradise, his ideal world, it is void of religion and rules, it is educational, and practical, and the people there are friendly. His financial injury inspires more pessimism in him than violence ever did. This crushing of Candide through the removal of his riches lets Voltaire really point out the power of greed in man and he thoroughly ridicules the irrationality of human priorities. But one must also understand how Eldorado shows how insignificant and valueless something can be if there it exists in large quantities. So one would argue that the real significance of the Eldorado episode is that Voltaire uses it to attack the Europeans, in the sense that it is contrasted with Europe, and also to show how money corrupts. So indirectly he is attacking the wealthy, the aristocrats. Fate seems to play a key part in the novella Candide. Essentially Candide is a novella that follows a young boy trying to make it in life; the author uses the book to attack certain peoples and religions. It was fate that brought Candide back to Cunegonde after he thought that she had been brutally raped and tortured and the apparently left for dead. And likewise with Pangloss who is hanged, dissected and ravaged by syphilis, yet still he lives on, and it is these moments that refuel Candide’s optimistic tank which is in a constant state of decline. Fate brought everyone back together to live in harmony in the garden at the end; even Paquette and the Friar Giroflee find their way there. Candide is a victim of the cruel fate that awaits him, to find the kind of happiness that he hopes for he undergoes a long and painful journey that kills him inside and out. He suffers by seeing people he loved dearly, taken from him, and by experiencing the miserable heights of being rich, and the appalling lows of the army and of being a fugitive. His fate is inescapable, and he suffers dearly because of it. One finds that ultimately Voltaire chooses to end the novella in harmony. The novella ends with Candide and his companions living in harmony in a garden. They have learnt that to live without the suffering that they underwent they must be practically doing something. One must also understand that Voltaire hasnt ended the novella happily, although the characters have found a way to live in harmony, misery and suffering still rages on outside of their peaceful garden. Voltaire seems to end the book rather selfishly, Candide and his companions are wealthy and secure and in a brilliant position to change the world for the better, yet they sit back and ignore it like it isn’t happening. Voltaire is having a final poke at the rich and powerful. But Voltaire seems to see this garden as the only wise and viable option for creatures as weak as human beings. Voltaire’s Attitude towards Female Characters Candide has just found a way round the system. Nothing has been achieved; it is a sad and depressing end, which seems to pose more questions than answers. One could assume that Voltaire maintained a dislike for the feminine sex, especially those who founded their livelihood on their ability to sell their own body. And in this way the role of women in the Novella Candide is to ridicule this life of women. He does this by treating sex with an air of nonchalance. Voltaire goes so far as to place them in a world where they dont have constructive jobs, and also the way that they are used as a currency, exchanged for mistresses. Voltaire uses women as a means to articulate how he considered they existed in society. He mocks them for being capable to get through life on stare alone, and how beauty is inclined to resolve their problems. But one must not shed aside the mode that he depicts women in Candide, they all appear to be easy victims of male chauvinism, and to the extent that Cunegonde is raped by the Bulgarian soldiers. However Voltaire places Candide in the world with a different idea about women, he treats them with respect, and he is concerned and compassionate toward Cunegonde, even when she loses her looks. Conclusion One can almost conclude that the role of women in Candide is for them to be sexually exploited, but not as if some great sin were being committed, just nonchalantly and matter of fact. He uses these circumstances to express these particular hazards to which only women are exposed. Candide’s fidelity to Cunegonde, who he is recognized as a model of female desirable quality is based on a sightlessness of the genuine position. Cunegonde is purchased and resold like a piece of livestock between Don Isaachar and the High Inquisitor, yet she acknowledges the state of affairs, which is ridiculous. The most fascinating mocking comments in Candide refer to non-Christians - most prominently, to Muslims and Jews. In the Dictionary of Philosophy, Voltaire called Jews the most abominable people in the world and Muslims tyrants over women and enemies of the arts. This approach is reproduced in Candide. Don Issachar, Cunegondes master, is portrayed as a "hot-tempered...Jew...who had a passionate taste for women" 1Later on, Candide, although "having saved many diamonds [from El Dorado]...was so cheated by the Jews that he soon found himself with nothing more than his little farm."2 Apart from showing that the Turks valued military duty over life, the description of the imam is dripping with satire. Voltaire also ridicules the punishments given by Muslim cadis. Throughout the novel, Candide, Voltaire repetitively takes advantage of the human nature to reflect on others conditions and lifestyles and manners to be better than that of their own. Voltaire uses Candides expedition to represent the human supposition that the grass is always greener on the other side. This idea is revealed in Candides strife for friendship, his familiarity with riches, and his communication with other characters. The actions and course of plot that develop the theme do so in such a way that the reader is proficient in comprehending and relating to the ambitions of Candide. The first constituent used to transmit the truth that Candide looks at others circumstances sees what he would appreciate to have is in his journey to discover the perfect companion. Consequent upon adventures, Candide comes upon many versatile men with many unusual companionship situations. For example, during Candides time with Count Pococurant, Voltaire reveals to the reader that Candide is fascinated with the counts two women. The astonishment and admiration by Candide is responded with a clarification from Count Pococurant that shows that he is pleased with them, but is becoming weary of their existence. Voltaire powerfully requests to the reader with this scene because nature places coordination and compassionate companionship between male/female as a top priority in this life too heavy drama.          Bibiography Bair, Lowell, trans. "Candide by Voltaire". New York: Bantam Books, 1959 Willey, Basil. "The Eighteenth Century Background" Boston: Beacon Press, 1961 Weinsheimer, Joel C. "Eighteenth-Century Hermeneutics" London: Yale University Press, 1993 Kramnick, Isaac. "The Portable Enlightenment Reader" New York: Penguin Books, 1995 Read More

But the Eldorado episode brings Candide riches, and this is a chance for Voltaire to put Candide up on a pedestal and then bring him right down again, and lower. Candide loses all his money and realizes that it just makes him a target for all sorts of swindlers, like the Vanderdendur and the Surinamese officers who try and get as much money from Candide as possible. Eldoardo is Voltaire’s paradise, his ideal world, it is void of religion and rules, it is educational, and practical, and the people there are friendly.

His financial injury inspires more pessimism in him than violence ever did. This crushing of Candide through the removal of his riches lets Voltaire really point out the power of greed in man and he thoroughly ridicules the irrationality of human priorities. But one must also understand how Eldorado shows how insignificant and valueless something can be if there it exists in large quantities. So one would argue that the real significance of the Eldorado episode is that Voltaire uses it to attack the Europeans, in the sense that it is contrasted with Europe, and also to show how money corrupts.

So indirectly he is attacking the wealthy, the aristocrats. Fate seems to play a key part in the novella Candide. Essentially Candide is a novella that follows a young boy trying to make it in life; the author uses the book to attack certain peoples and religions. It was fate that brought Candide back to Cunegonde after he thought that she had been brutally raped and tortured and the apparently left for dead. And likewise with Pangloss who is hanged, dissected and ravaged by syphilis, yet still he lives on, and it is these moments that refuel Candide’s optimistic tank which is in a constant state of decline.

Fate brought everyone back together to live in harmony in the garden at the end; even Paquette and the Friar Giroflee find their way there. Candide is a victim of the cruel fate that awaits him, to find the kind of happiness that he hopes for he undergoes a long and painful journey that kills him inside and out. He suffers by seeing people he loved dearly, taken from him, and by experiencing the miserable heights of being rich, and the appalling lows of the army and of being a fugitive. His fate is inescapable, and he suffers dearly because of it.

One finds that ultimately Voltaire chooses to end the novella in harmony. The novella ends with Candide and his companions living in harmony in a garden. They have learnt that to live without the suffering that they underwent they must be practically doing something. One must also understand that Voltaire hasnt ended the novella happily, although the characters have found a way to live in harmony, misery and suffering still rages on outside of their peaceful garden. Voltaire seems to end the book rather selfishly, Candide and his companions are wealthy and secure and in a brilliant position to change the world for the better, yet they sit back and ignore it like it isn’t happening.

Voltaire is having a final poke at the rich and powerful. But Voltaire seems to see this garden as the only wise and viable option for creatures as weak as human beings. Voltaire’s Attitude towards Female Characters Candide has just found a way round the system. Nothing has been achieved; it is a sad and depressing end, which seems to pose more questions than answers. One could assume that Voltaire maintained a dislike for the feminine sex, especially those who founded their livelihood on their ability to sell their own body.

And in this way the role of women in the Novella Candide is to ridicule this life of women. He does this by treating sex with an air of nonchalance. Voltaire goes so far as to place them in a world where they dont have constructive jobs, and also the way that they are used as a currency, exchanged for mistresses. Voltaire uses women as a means to articulate how he considered they existed in society. He mocks them for being capable to get through life on stare alone, and how beauty is inclined to resolve their problems.

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