Satire of nobility, war, and rationalism in Voltaire's Candide

¶ … satiric themes in Voltaire's Candide. The report focuses on the themes of nobility, the horrors and follies of war and rationalism. The essay also attempts to provide concrete examples for the themes as well as demonstrating how they were applied in Candide. I have always enjoyed researching classic authors and discovered that Voltaire was born in November of 1694 and was legally the son of Francois Arouet, an official in the Parisian tax office. But, there was controversy surrounding his birth because it is presumed that Voltaire was really the son of a minor poet named Rochebrune known to frequent the Voltaire family.

Much of Voltaire's work sounds agnostic. He was known to study Greek and Latin classics and was well versed in the Bible. But, he rejected most Christian views and although he believed God created the world, he was sure that God did not care about man's everyday life. Voltaire supported the King of France but was accused of satirical writing against his son which landed him in Bastille. "Because of insults to the regent, Philippe II d'Orleans, wrongly ascribed to him, Voltaire was sent to the Bastille (1717) for 11 months." (Yahoo Education)

While in jail he wrote Henriade and Candide which were both critical of the church. "In 1726 a young nobleman, the chevalier de Rohan, resenting a witticism made at his expense by Voltaire, had Voltaire beaten." (Yahoo Education) When Voltaire tried to fight back he was thrown in prison a second time. These events and his own minor station in life led him to become disgusted with the abuse of position so he left France for England upon his release from Bastille.

In England he became quite popular and wealthy through hard work and with his niece Ferney cultivated his estates well so roads were built and the community industries grew. Not surprisingly, this success provided him with a hero's welcome back in Paris in March of 1778 where he was driven all over Paris in a blue coach detailed with golden stars. Large crowds followed and cheered him. Unfortunately, he died only two months later.

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As was common of the time, Voltaire seemed to see a great deal of pride in birthright and family ancestry as a fatuous substitution for true nobility and personal ability. Throughout the story there are many references to nobility and family privilege. There is no better example of the notion than how the baron and his family are described to live. The Baron, Thunder-ten-tronckh is surrounded by a luxurious castle in Westphalia. The Baron's court consists of many local villagers and his entire family is extremely snobby. He has a beautiful daughter, Cunegonde, and she has a private tutor. Her mother is very dignified and her brother is a considered to be a very worthy son. The Baroness weighs three hundred and fifty pounds and is therefore greatly respected. Another good example of the focus on nobility and birthright is the Baron's sister who was really Candide's mother. Nobility and birthright is so important to her that she refuses to marry her lover because he can only prove seventy-one quartering of his noble lineage. Basically, to be rich and have the right family connection is a very strong satirical theme of the story.

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War throughout history has always left a lasting impression and Voltaire used the horrors and follies of war to attack the profession of soldiery and depicted soldiers as men serving as murderers for hire. Warfare was obviously distasteful for Voltaire as he showed with 'Te deum' or the Christian hymn of thanksgiving. The soldiers of both the parties sing the song even though neither side was in a position to have won the battle. Voltaire showed that the atrocities of war would never be prevented even with international laws. As Voltaire depicted two armies present as a glorious spectacle, he was showing the terrible atmosphere that was created in the music and gunfire. Candide saw that on the battlefield that guns and bayonets would lead to more thirty thousand rogues death and Candide trembled in terror. So when the both kings and their armies sing 'Te Deum' only Candide seems to understand that both sides of the village are ruined. In summary, Voltaire is quite clear when he describes all that Candide saw from the shocking massacre of the community was the soldiers' lust and bloodthirstiness.

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This essay reflected the satiric themes in Voltaire's Candide. The report focused on the themes of nobility, the horrors and follies of war and rationalism. The essay also attempted to provide concrete examples for the themes as well as demonstrated how they were applied. The novel was well written and jumped all over as Candide took his many adventures. Candide moved from the Barons farm to Walderberghoff- trarbk-dikdorff, off to Holland, then a shipwreck, to Lisbon, to Avacena in Sierra Morena, to Paraguay, to Eldorado, to Swinam in Dutch Guiana, Buenos Ayres and Venice and finally to Bordeaux, Normandy, the coast of England and Venice, to the palatial home of pococurante, to a hotel, to the house of the Prince of Transylvania and finally back on Candide's farm. It took these exotic locations to help bring to life the various satirical themes that give insight into Voltaire as an author and story teller. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip.