The World is Far From Perfect in Candide
Candide is a great man that has encountered and accomplished many things. Candide has traveled far and wide through out his quest. He has encountered many things. He has been treated poorly by the government by being flogged multiple times by a two thousand-man army. To have his teacher lynched in front of his very eyes. He has met many people in his quest some nice and some not nice. Over all he was reunited with his friends and his true love. Voltaire's illustrate disenchantment of the old order though Candide's dealings with the church, government and the people.
Voltaire's illustrates his disenchantment of the old order through Candide's dealing with the church. As an old man states,"Religion! Why of course we have a religion" (Voltaire 79). He states that he believes in one religion. He strongly stresses that there is only one religion that he and his people believe in and no others are accepted. The old man also states, "We never pray, we have nothing to ask of god, since he has given us everything we need" (Voltaire 79). They the people of Eldorado are optimistic because they have all they need, but you will never have all you need. You will always need something; you will never be complete. Some people through out his quests believed in one way of life and no other.
Voltaire's disenchantment of the old order through Candide's dealings with the government. As Candide states "He was an admiral, but why execute the admiral because he did not have enough deaths to his credit." (Voltaire 111) They expect their soldiers to live up to their expectations by killing a certain amount of people. It should not be determined on the amount of people you kill, but by the way you use your power to conquer other countries. Cunegonde's brother states "The rulers of Paraguay accept as few Spanish Jesuit as they can." (Voltaire 66) The government is not in the right by choosing certain people to enter their country. Their government is racially selective, they do not want people entering their country that are not the same race or religion. Through out Candide's quests the government has caused him many hardships.
Voltaire's disenchantment of the old order though Candide's dealings with the people. Candide states in a loving voice "Her daughter, Cunegonde was a buxom girl of seventeen with a fresh, rosy complexion altogether seductive." (Voltaire 19) He talks about her in a way full of carrying love. He describes her as very loving and attractive. The old woman states "My eyes were not always sore and bloodshot, my nose did not always touch my chin, and I have not always been a servant." (Voltaire 49) She was not always a poor homeless old woman. She used to be a rich and beautiful princess, but now she is in rags. Candide encountered a lot of people though out his quest so he knows how to talk to them in ways many people do not know how too.
Voltaire's Candide dealt with disenchantment of the old order through his dealings with the church, government and people though out his travels with and without his friends. His friends aided him though his ways. Some of the people he encountered treated him unfairly and some treated him with respect. He learned that everyone is different. They think different. They live different. They act different. Everyone just has to respect everyone and how they are even if we do not like what they think. Everyone can also learn that the world is not as they first assumed it to be, perfect. In fact the world is not perfect. In fact the world is far from being perfect.
Work Cited
Voltaire. Candide. London: Penguin books Ltd, 1970
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