Candide

Candide Essay

Compare/Contrast of 2 Characters

Throughout the story of Candide, the author Voltaire uses many of the characters to portray important things in life. The two characters that Voltaire used the most were Candide and Pangloss. Voltaire used these two characters to represent a particular idea or folly that he had about the world. In the story Candide, Voltaire is always portraying his own ideas by using the characters to illustrate his own ideas. Candide and Pangloss represent the main idea of the story, which is Voltaire’s folly of optimism. Even though they both represent the main idea of the story Candide and Pangloss have many similarities and differences.

Before getting into the comparison and contrasting here is a little background information on Candide. Candide is a very interesting character throughout the story and Voltaire uses him to represent his own ideas. In the beginning of the story Candide is a good-hearted boy but he is very naÐ"Їve. Candide believes in the philosophy of his teacher Pangloss, that all is for the best in this “best of all possible worlds”. (Voltaire, pg. 4) Candide bases his whole life off of this philosophy and even thought his life has been nothing but struggles, Candide never strays from this idea. Every time Candide is going through hard times and something good would happened he would refer back to this philosophy and believe it more and more every time something good happened. Candide is also very attracted to Cunegonde. Cunegonde is the Baron’s daughter and is very beautiful. Candide has always wanted to marry her but it has not happened because he is way below her rank. Candide eventually gets thrown out of his town for sneaking around with Cunegonde. This doesn’t stop Candide though, as he chases Cunegonde around throughout the whole story.

On the other hand here is some background information on Pangloss. Pangloss is the teacher of Cunegonde and Candide. Pangloss is a philosopher and supposed to be a very educated man. Pangloss teaches Candide all about this certain philosophy that he himself lives by. Voltaire explains Pangloss’s philosophy like this, “Pangloss gave instruction in metaphysico-theologico-cosmolo-nigology. He proved admirably that there cannot possibly be an effect without a cause and that in this best of all possible worlds the baron’s castle was the most beautiful of all castles and his wife the best of all possible baronesses. вЂ"It is clear, said he, that things cannot be otherwise than they are, for since everything is made to serve an end, everything necessarily serves the best end. Observe: noses were made to support spectacles, hence we have spectacles. Legs, as anyone can plainly see, were made to be breeched, and so we have breeches. . . . Consequently, those who say everything is well are uttering mere stupidities; they should say everything is for the best”(pg. 4) What Voltaire is trying to explain here is that Pangloss thinks that everything happens for a reason and even though it may be something bad, it happens for the best. Pangloss teaches this philosophy with a strong emphasis and he really believes in it.

In comparing these two characters, Candide and Pangloss have many similarities. One of the main reasons for this is because Pangloss is Candide’s philosophical teacher and Candide adopts many of Pangloss’s ideas into his own life. Throughout the story both characters face many hardships but they both make it in the end. Also even though they both face hardships they still turn to the philosophy and never stray very far from it. Both of theses characters are the target of Voltaire’s satire. When Pangloss made love to Paquette and contracted syphilis, Candide decided to sneak a kiss from Cunegonde because Cunegonde saw Pangloss and Paquette and wanted the same kind of romance. Overall the similarities of these two characters are very frequent and ironic. The main similarity of the two is that they are both the object of Voltaire’s satire and they are representing his folly of optimism.

Although Candide and Pangloss have many similarities, they also have some major differences. Some of the main differences don’t come until the end of the story but they are major. The major difference between Candide and Pangloss at the end of the story is when Voltaire states what Pangloss says to Candide, which is “ There is a concatenation of events in this best of all possible worlds: for if you had not been kicked out of a magnificent castle for the love of Miss Cunegonde: if you had not walked over America: if you had not stabbed the Baron: if you had not lost all your sheep from the fine country of El Dorado: you would not be here eating preserved citrons and pistachio-nuts.” “All that is very well, answered Candide, “but let