Voltaire's Use Of Satire In 'Candide'

To talk about Candide is to talk about one of the most well-known books ever written. Voltaire’s use of satire to criticize just about any and all aspects of life in 18th century France, the surrounding countries, and the New World. However, no subject in Voltaire’s literary line of fire took as much of a hit as religion/religious figures, especially the Catholic Church. In Candide, Voltaire hits the Church from every angle, from its priests’ self-promoted abstinence, to the exorbitant wealth of the Vatican, to their presence in the New World.

During the eighteenth century, the Anabaptists were usually persecuted and despised owing to their radical spiritual beliefs. Voltaire attacked this practice with his description of the kindness shown to Candide by an Anabaptist by the name of James. Candide found himself in Holland, a Christian country, with no food or work, so he asked amongst the Protestant voters for some bread. When Candide failed to admit that the pope was the Antichrist, the Protestant shouted at him, "You do not

He used a conversation between an old man and Candide in El Dorado to show this ideal religion. Upon questioning the man on whether or not or not his people had a religion and what God it was that they prayed to, Candide asked to see some of their priests. The old man's response was that they were all priests, they required no special individuals to interfere in their worship with God. To this, Candide exclaimed, "What! You have no monks who teach, argue, rule, plot and burn those who do not agree with them?” The old man replied that they would be mad if they did. The religion that the folks of El Dorado had was much less complicated than any of the European religions. Voltaire spoke of this religion to indicate how the clergy were unessential and generally even harmful, and the way a simple religion may benefit Europeans