Analysis of Voltaire’s Candide: A non-satirical composition of the most satirical piece of literature By: Westley (A.K.A Nicky Flash) Allen

Westley Allen
AP Literature
Miss Gwaltney
April 29, 2013

Through literary devices such as persuasion, sarcasm, and elegant rhetorics, Voltaire successfully composes possibly the most well-known satirical pieces of literature. Mad magazine, The Simpsons, and Saturday Night Live, examples of some of the comical staples that satiate our desire for humor. In our society, satire is among the most prevalent of comedic forms. This was not always true. Before the 18th century, satire was not a fully developed form. Satire, however, rose out of necessity; writers and artists needed a way to ambiguously criticize their governments, their churches, and their aristocrats. By the 18th century, satire was hugely popular. “Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own”. (Swift) Satire as an art form has its roots in the classics, especially in the writings of Voltaire. Satire as it was originally proposed was a form of literature using sarcasm, irony, and wit, to bring about a change in society, but in the eighteenth century Voltaire, Jonathan Swift and William Hogarth expanded satire to include politics, as well as art. The political climate of the time was one of tension. Any criticism of government would bring harsh punishments, sometimes exile or death. In order to voice opinions without fear of punishment, malcontented writers turned to satire. Voltaire’s Candide and Swift’s Modest Proposal are two examples of this new genre. By creating a fictional world modeled after the world he hated, Voltaire was able to attack scientists, and theologians with impunity. Jonathan Swift created many fictional worlds in his great work Gulliver’s Travels, where he constantly dew parallels to the English government. Then there is Candide, possibly Voltaire’s most acclaimed pieces of literature as well as one of the most famous satirical compositions that is known. Voltaire’s intelligence, wit and style made him one of France’s greatest writers and philosophers.
Voltaire use many writing techniques. The use of the various styles shows that despite the passing of centuries and through the language change, certain writing techniques will always be effective. Once common literary technique is the author’s use of one or more of his characters as his own voice to speak out the author’s own views on certain subjects. For instance, in Candide Voltaire makes use of several characters to voice his opinion mocking philosophical optimism. In the story Candide is asking a gentleman about whether everything is for the best in the physical world as well as the moral universe. The man replies, “I believe nothing of the sort. I find that everything goes wrong in our world, that nobody knows his place in society or his duty, what he’s doing or what he ought to be doing, and that outside of mealtimes… the rest of the day is spent in useless quarrels… it’s one unending warfare.” By having this character take on such a pessimistic tone, he directly contradicts the obviously over optimistic actions of Candide. In the conclusion an old Turk instructs Candide in the futility of needless philosophizing by saying that “the work keeps us from three great evils, boredom, vice, and poverty” (Pg. 159). In all of the examples, the character chosen by the author comes across as a reasonable person, making the author’s point of view seem reasonable and respectable at the same time.
Another technique that Voltaire uses in Candide is that of taking actual people and events and weaving them into his works or fiction. Voltaire strongly emphasizes his pessimistic view throughout the story. During chapter 10, he uses his philosophies, as well as other literary tools, to present greed as a devastating factor of society’s corruption. For example, Cunegonde found that someone had stolen her money and jewels. “Who could have stole my money and diamonds? …I strongly suspect a reverend Franciscan who slept in the same inn with is last night in Badajoz.”(Pg. 40) She was sure that the thief was the reverend. How is it that money can make someone so holy, yet corrupt enough to sin? Voltaire uses irony here to show the pessimistic view of greed overcoming a holy person’s wholesomeness. Voltaire satirized philosophical optimism. He used exaggerations and berated all the petty inhumanities of society. This is illustrated in the scene where Cunegonde was ready to marry a man for money, not in the name of love. “Madam, you have seventy-two years of nobility, but not one penny. You now have the chance to become the wife of a man who’s the greatest lord in South America and has a very handsome mustache” (Pg. 51). As Cunegonde ponders whether or not to marry a man for money, she provides support for Voltaire’s overall theme of pessimism. Candide and Cacambo traveled to Eldorado and found if to be the best place ever. “If our friend Pangloss had seen Eldorado, he wouldn’t have said that the castle of Thunder-ten-tronckh was the finest thing on earth” (Pg. 68). Leaving a perfect place, such as Eldorado, where they could be seen as equals, and extremely pleased, seems insane. However, Candide and Cacambo found money more important. They left to live in a corrupt world, filled with riches and wealth. “If we return to our world we’ll be richer than all the kings of Europe put together” (Pg. 70). This just goes to show that humanity sees money and riches in higher regards than happiness. Eldorado is a symbol of society’s corruption through greed. War is another evil which Voltaire satirizes in Candide. Voltaire used the Bulgarians and their brutality as a basis for his satire on war. An example si when Candide is given the choice” to be beaten thirty-six time by the whole regiment, or receive lead bullets to the brain” (Pg. 22). After only two runs through the gauntlet Candide pleads for them to kill him. The fact that he would rather die than be beaten speaks of the severity of the punishment. Not only that but he was condemned to this torture for simply taking a walk. Another satire of war was the Bulgarians’ burning of the Arabian village “in accordance with the rules of international law” (Pg. 23). Voltaire shows that the soldiers do not just kill other people but also rape, disembowel, and dismember innocent women and children. Their acts of savagery again were not properly justified yet they proceeded as if nothing was wrong.
Through the use of irony, satire and symbolism, Voltaire skillfully develops his pessimistic story of Candide. Though it’s clear that Voltaire rejects and satirizes many aspects of philosophy, it still remains uncertain what Voltaire does support. Candide’s final remark suggests a practical, uncomplicated outlook on life. Yet even at the end Pangloss is able to offer an explanation of Candide’s journey “as the chain of events is the best of all possible worlds” (Pg. 144). Moreover, despite Martin’s overwhelming pessimism, he is able to continually make an argument for his cynical view, most famously noting the subversive idea of cooperation between God and the devil. Although some cases can be made stronger than others, the degree of ambiguity in the satire allows the audience to draw their own conclusions and consider their own beliefs in relation to the satire.

Works Cited
Voltaire, and Peter Constantine. Candide, Or, Optimism. New York: Modern Library, 2005. Print.
Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal. 1729. Quotidiana. Ed. Patrick Madden. 19 Dec 2007. 7 May, 2013
“Voltaire: Enlightenment Values and Principles.” Voltaire and Candide. University of Idaho. 15 Apr. 2013
<http://www.class.uidaho.edu/engl_258/lecture%20notes/voltaire_and_candide.htm
Bara, Bruno G. “Cognitive Pragmatics” 8.3 (2011): 443+.Academic Onefile. Web. 15 Apr. 2013
<http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA266630055&v+lom_accessmich&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w