At
the beginning of Voltaire’s novella, Candide,
we are introduced to Pangloss, a professor of metaphysico-theologico-cosmolo-nigology,
stating that this world is the best of all possible worlds and that there is no
effect without a cause. Pangloss
considers himself an optimist, believing that eventually everything, including
terrible injustices, will work out for the best. Voltaire communicates this message throughout
the novella’s series of unfortunate yet comedic events.
The
series of unfortunate events occurs in almost every chapter of the
novella. Canidide’s bad luck begins in
the first chapter when he is banished from the castle by the baron after he and
Cunegonde secretly kiss. Next, he is
save from hunger and fatigue by Buglar soldiers, though he is abused while he
is trained to be a soldier. When the
Buglarian king learns that Candide is a young metaphysician and thus “extremely
ignorant of things of this world” (4), he is pardoned for his unintentional
desertion. After having human waste
dumped over his head for stating that the Pope could be the Antichrist, Candide
finds Pangloss, whose body has been ravaged by syphilis, in the street. While Pangloss becomes deformed by the
infection, he still believes that it is necessary in the best of worlds. These unfortunate events continue to occur
throughout the novella, including natural disasters and diseases, all
satirizing Pangloss’ optimistic, though unrealistic, philosophy.
While
Candide believes and follows Pangloss’ philosophy, everything that he
experiences throughout the novella should tell him that this philosophy is
wrong. While these unfortunate events
are humorous to us readers, their purpose is to teach us a lesson – that humans
use philosophy and other reasoning to justify their own bad actions. They do not take responsibility for their
actions and blame their beliefs instead, leading to injustice and corruption
that need to be faced and not blamed on fate.
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