“Men,” he said, “must in some ways have deviated” from their innocence. For they weren’t born wolves but they still worry about each other as these predatory beasts. God did not give men twenty-four pounders or bayonets. But they still made them to use against each other. Voltaire begins Candide with a philosophical text that was published in 1759. The author of the book, Voltaire, was jailed for this subversive publication. Candide may offer hope for the future of humanity, but its superficiality and cruelty are exposed through images of wealth and material beauty.
Candide depicts the human condition in a pessimistic way, but as a satire it offers a more optimistic view. Voltaire’s critique is meant to inspire readers to take action. The satire encourages people not blame war and violence solely on religion and predestination, but instead change their own world. It is evident that Voltaire has a good opinion of people, especially when he talks about the resilience and strength of characters. One example of this is the old lady who says she’s thought of suicide 100 times but “persists” in carrying an burden we want to be relieved of (30). Similarly, the barber in Pangloss’s text also nurses Candide into health. Humans are shown to be caring towards each other by these acts, in contrast with the pain they have caused each other. Voltaire concludes by presenting Eldorado as a land of material wealth. Ironically, Voltaire’s utopian society is uncorrupted, peaceful, and free of greed (50). It’s significant that Candide, the protagonist of the novel, leaves Eldorado behind to follow Cunegonde. He is sacrificing material wealth in favor of love.
Candide is not only looking for Cunegonde out of love. Candide’s love for her beauty is more material than personality-based, establishing a negative theme towards women. Cunegonde’s body is emphasized in the description of Cunegonde: “aged seventeen…rosy-cheeked…fresh, plump…and tempting” (1. He “seemed like he was devouring her with his gaze all the time”, when he is talking to her later (17). He cheats with a more attractive woman. But he marries her regardless, because of his moral obligation, even though he hates her for her ugliness. By focusing on the material beauty of Candide’s and Cunegonde’s relationship to diminish it, the emphasis is placed on the human nature.
A theme that is repeated throughout the book to show the shallowness in human nature, is material wealth. Candide becomes a wealthy man and people begin to treat him differently. He was able to choose between two doctors he never asked for and a group of friends he’d never met. Many people want to make his acquaintance for money. He also becomes the victim of many robberies. Candide’s generosity is exploited, too, by Paquette as well as Friar Giroflee. Martin says that Candide does not make the recipients of his money happier. Candide shows us that, despite their temporary nature, men’s main concerns are wealth and appearance.
Candide uses violence to expose the human condition and to show how far people will go to satisfy their own desires. Sexual violence, rape and other acts of violence are used as weapons to subvert the idea that love is important. Candide’s “skin is ripped off by the Bulgarian soldiers”, a scene which exemplifies the violence that permeates the entire book. The violence in the book is used as a physical manifestation for misogynistic tensions within society and the undercurrents of misogyny. Cunegonde’s slave-like treatment of men, like the Bulgarian, the Israelite and the Grande Inquisitor further demonstrates her lack or autonomy. The men are cruel and brutish, only using humans to satisfy their own needs before discarding them.
Candide’s theme of cruelty is not limited to violence. Characters often sacrifice other people to save others from disasters, like in “auto da-fe” (14), where heretics were murdered. Candide kills Israelte, Grand Inquisitor & Cunegonde’s Brother to marry Candide. In the same way, soldiers starving to death “devour the woman” (29) by cannibalizing them. Candide kills his monkey lovers, hoping for forgiveness. Voltaire illustrates how stupid and cruel it is to kill others for God’s sake and how savage it is to use others as tools. Voltaire’s view is best expressed by the sailor who in Candide “defying Death in Pursuit of Plunder, Rushed into the Ruin, Found some Money, Got drunk with it, After he had slept, He bought the Favors of First Good-Nice Wench That Came in His Way, Amidst the Ruins of Destroyed Houses and the Groans of Half-buried and Expiring Persons” (12). Candide’s caricatures commit meaningless violence due to their belief in predestination. Only by taking responsibility and feeling remorse can Candide break the cycle.
The author’s focus on violence and material wealth contributes to the negative perception of humanity throughout the book. He also reveals how human beings are corrupt and cause their own pain, which undermines the philosophical optimism that is often cited as a legitimate system of belief.
