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Women in Candide

Uploaded by lonewolf88 on Oct 26, 2011

This essays looks briefly at the similarities and differences between the characters of Cunégonde and the old woman in Voltaire’s satire.

I Introduction

Voltaire’s Candide is a very funny satire that skewers the Optimistic attitude that “this is the best of all possible worlds.” Obviously, considering the horrific events Candide goes through, this isn’t the best of anything.
Candide has several companions in his misadventures, notably Dr. Pangloss, his mentor and tutor; and Cacambo, his servant. Of the women in the tale, two are most important: Cunégonde, the woman Candide loves, and the old woman, whom he meets on his travels.
This paper will compare and contrast the way the two women are presented in the novel.

II Cunégonde

Cunégonde is Candide’s true love. She is the daughter of the Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, who raised Candide in his castle. She is beautiful, desirable, and despite all the horrible things that happen to her, she is fearfully dull. She is raped and cut open by Bulgarian soldiers (she notes it isn’t always necessary to die from such treatment); sold to numerous men as a sexual plaything; reunited with Candide; parted from him; and reunited again at the end of the book. She isn’t very bright, and she’s essentially passive as a doormat. She fights her Bulgarian rapist, but as soon as she’s rescued (by a Bulgarian captain, not Candide) she becomes his willing servant and his lover.
When he grows tired of her, he sells her to a Jew named Don Issachar, who adores women. But soon after that she catches the eye of the Grand Inquisitor, who also wants her. The two men work out an arrangement whereby Don Issachar visits her Monday, Wednesday and the Sabbath; the Grand Inquisitor has the other four days of the week, though there have been some arguments, apparently, about when the Sabbath begins and ends.
Soon after Cunégonde tells Candide her tale, Don Issachar shows up. He immediately attacks Candide, and Candide kills him. A few moments later, the Grand Inquisitor arrives, and Candide figures that he’ll turn them in, so he kills him, too. Then he, Cunégonde and the old woman escape from the scene. When they arrive at an inn, Cunégonde comment is “Where will I find another Jew and another inquisitor to give me more jewels?” She is for sale...

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Uploaded by:   lonewolf88

Date:   10/26/2011

Category:   Literature

Length:   4 pages (979 words)

Views:   3429

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