After hearing about the old woman’s misfortune Candide thought about his old friend Pangloss and what he would have said about her suffering. “He would have made some remarkable observations on the moral and physical evils which infest the earth and sea, and with all due respect to him I should have made bold to offer a few objections”, said Candide. Even though Candide remarks Pangloss ideas should be refuted, he still hasn’t said anything too radical about this. Even though he has seen too much pain he seems pusillanimous and scared to contradict Pangloss’s ideas. Candide is still too much of an optimist, but that could change further into the story.
It is funny how now that Candide is in America and is now Captain Candide, he again has suffered some kind of misfortune. Now he has to escape because he is wanted because of one of the murders he commited to save Cunégonde, but was not enough to satisfy Voltaire’s writing: Candide had to suffer a little more. Don Fernando d’Ibaraa y Figueroa y Mascaranes y Lampourdos y Souza, the governor of Buenos Ayres, proposed marriage to Lady Cunégonde, whom Candide passionately loved. Candide has too little to offer to Cunégonde, while the governor has it all. There’s still more to Candide’s misfortune when he murdered Lady Cunégonde’s brother, whom he found when he sought to the rebellious Jesuits in Paraguay for help. This man wanted to rescue Cunégonde and could have been Candide’s savior, but Candide ruined it all. I really laughed reading this because the Baron got angry with Candide, who ruthlessly killed him, because he said wanted to marry Cunégonde. It’s ironic that Candide killed Cunégonde’s brother (his biggest mistake), as both where protective for Cunégonde, but it was not likely for her to marry Candide.
Canide is growing to me as a story of one pronounced murderer. Poor Candide has killed several times, and each making it worst for him, but all for his beloved Lady Cunégonde. Who knows how his love story will be in the end, but hopefully his optimistic, murderous, ravaging pays off and his true love loves him back. Voltaire’s Candide has given me quite the laughs and all because of Candide’s misfortune, so I ask myself if I would laugh too if the book was not satirical and rather serious.
I couldn't agree more with you. Candide is somehow being over protective of Lady Cunégonde, destroying anything that comes between their path and their love. One of my blogs talks about the same issue. It is funny how Candide will even put his own life at risk just to save Lady Cunégonde, even die for her love. Yet, how will they be together and love each other if he has sacrificed himself for her life? Again, Voltaire and his irony.
ReplyDeletei find it great that you describe your emotions as you talk about the progress of Candide.The contrasts of Candide's misfortune and your amusement is perfect as we talk about Satire. I enjoy your blogs. Keep up the good work.