NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
Candide and Cunegonde (1) It is not simply a coincidence that the main character of Voltaires novel is named Candide. This name translates as white from the Latin. Apparently, Voltaire wanted to emphasize the idealistic properties of protagonists character. Throughout the novel, author mentions Candide as being blonde-haired, which corresponds to the fact that Candide resisted his life-philosophy becoming more pragmatic.
We can say that the character of Candide is nothing but the embodiment of psychological virtues, which can be used to characterize the Western civilization, as whole. He is an idealist, in the true sense of this word. In its turn, this idealism prompts Candide to think about purely abstract matters, which do not strongly relate to his existence in the best of all possible worlds. Candide does not associate wealth with happiness but rather views it as a tool of achieving his practical goals. This is the main similarity between him and Cunegonde, who appears to be unprepared to face the harsh reality, just as Candide. Just as her lover, Cunegonde initially refuses to believe that she does not have a special mission in her life.
She cannot accept the fact that she is just as susceptible to physical abuse as others are. Both Candid and Cunegonde are very inept individuals, who strive to adjust the surrounding reality to their set of philosophical beliefs. Cunegonde gets to travel extensively, just as Candide; however, unlike him, she is not the one who chooses her traveling destinations. The reason why Candid and Cunegonde are being attracted to each other is that they share the same childhood memories and that they are not capable of completely giving up on moral indoctrination, they received at barons castle. By the end of the novel, Candid and Cunegonde grow much wiser and they come to conclusion that, in order for the individual to attain happiness, he must be engaging in physical labor at all times. We can say that both, Candid and Cunegonde have a hard time, while trying to adjust to the ways of the world, but this is exactly what elevates them above this world, in the end. (2) There numerous differences between these two characters can also be found, if we analyze them closely.
First of all, Candid is a man and Cunegonde is a woman, which corresponds to the fact that they have different outlook on the essence of happiness. Candid appears to be a natural-born philosopher. Therefore, thinking about abstract matters comes natural to him. Cunegonde, on the other hand, views the value of intelligence through the lenses of her gender.
One of the reasons that prevented Cunegonde from remaining with Candid in South America is the fact that she could not accept him as being her equal, because of Candids low birth. Therefore, we can say that Cunegonde is being affected by social prejudices largely than Candid. Unlike her lover, Cunegonde does not view her experiences as such that give her a valid reason to reconsider the validity of her previous beliefs. Even by the time, Candid finds Cunegonde in Turkey, she still thinks of her high social status as something that should prevent her from suffering an abuse. Second of all, Cunegonde can never accept the fact that there is no God. Throughout the course of her misadventures, Cunegonde never losses the hope that the flow of events is going to be affected by divine intervention.
Even by the time Cunegonde and Candid choose in favor of communal living, she insists that praying God should be the essential part of their daily routine. Thus, we can say that Cunegonde's idealism was never quite capable of assuming a productive form. Third of all, unlike Candid, Cunegonde does not realize that her actions have practical consequences. She is not capable of accepting the fact that people make their own fate, which reveals Cunegonde as being affected by Christian morality to much greater extent that she is willing to admit. It appears that Cunegonde was never able to learn from mistakes of the past, as she continues to find herself in trouble, which comes as result of her own poor judgments.
Free research essays on topics related to: cunegonde, candide, accept the fact, candid, capable
Research essay sample on Candid And Cunegonde Corresponds To The Fact Candide
