Candide

Candide, the illegitimate son of a Baron's sister, was sent to live with the Baron at his beautiful castle in Westphalia. Pangloss, "the greatest philosopher of the province and therefore of the whole world," taught Candide that he lived in "the best of all possible worlds." His theory was that "since everything is made for an end, everything is necessarily for the best end." Over the years at the castle, Candide adopted Pangloss' optimism. However, his bliss was not to be. Candide soon became infatuated with the beauty of Cunegonde, the baroness' seventeen year old daughter, and one day had an intimate encounter with her in the castle. The noble Baron witnessed this scene and drove his daughter's young suitor out of the house. With no food and no money, Candide quickly found himself recruited into the Bulgar army. But, tiring of army routine, and following Pangloss' theory that a man was free, he simply walked away. He was caught, however, and forced to run the gauntlet. Collapsing after the second round, Candide begged to be killed, but was instead pardoned by the passing Bulgar king. Later, after surviving a brutal battle and witnessing the repulsive treatment of innocent villagers, Candide once again walked away in disgust. As he wandered through the countryside, he was denied a piece of bread by a preacher who had just finished a sermon on charity. Near starvation, he was finally taken in by a kind Anabaptist. The following day Candide met up with a wretched beggar who turned out to be his old tutor, Pangloss. Pangloss had shocking news for Candide: his beloved Cunegonde had been stolen away, raped, and disemboweled by Bulgar soldiers. The Candide wept uncontrollably.

Months passed. Pangloss and Candide were appointed accountants to the generous Anabaptist and journeyed with him toward Lisbon. Nearing the city, their ship was caught in a storm and sank. All aboard were drowned except Candide, Pangloss, and a villainous sailor. Just as the three reached shore, a tremendous earthquake and volcanic eruption destroyed the city. The sailor went to work looting and plundering through the town's wreckage. Even though Candide and Pangloss tried to help the city's survivors, it was they who were arrested by a supersitious mob and slated to be human sacrifices to quell any further earthquakes. The appointed day arrived. Pangloss was taken out to be hanged. But Candide, escaping a similar fate, was flogged. An old woman treated Candide's wounds and took him to a lonely house on the edge of town, where he was reunited with his beautiful Cunegonde. Cunegonde told her overjoyed lover that, since surviving the soldiers' obviously nonfatal mistreatment, she had served as a mistress to numerous men and currently worked for both a Jew and a Grand Inquisitor. Just then the Jew entered the room to find his mistress and Candide, in each other's arms, on the couch. In self-defense, Candide killed him. As the lovers considered their plight, the Grand Inquisitor also entered, and Candide was forced to take his life as well. Candide, Cunegonde and the old woman fled on horseback. At last they reached Cadiz, where Candide was once again recruited into the army, this time as a captain. He was sent to Paraguay to purge the Jesuits. During the voyage, Candide frankly admitted that, contrary to Pangloss' idealistic theory, "regrettable things happen in this world of ours." The ship reached Buenos Aires, and the governor sent the trusting Candide out to review the troops. Then, in Candide's absence, he proposed marriage to lovely Cunegonde. As Candide was reviewing the troops, the old woman arrived to warn him that a Spanish ship had entered the harbor; officials had debarked to arrest the murderer of the Grand Inquisitor. Clearly unable to save Cunegonde from the governor's grasp, Candide and a servant, Cacambo, again fled for their lives. They joined with Paraguayan forces; and when Candide was taken to see the colonel, he was overwhelmed to recognize him as the son of the late Baron, Cunegonde's brother. The two hurriedly devised a plan for her rescue; but when Candide revealed his intentions to marry Cunegonde, the colonel flew into a rage. Candide was not of royal birth and had no claim to her. Candide stabbed him with his sword, then, once more,