Theme of Candide

The novel of Candide is full of many philosophical ideas. One of the main ideas of the story is that everything is for the best, there is no effect without an effect. pg.20.

Martin

Martin is a great scholar whom Candide befriends as a travel companion. Martin has suffered a great deal in his life and preaches a philosophy of pessimism. Martin always expects nothing but the worst from the world, he often has trouble seeing the world as it really is.

Cacambo

He was Candide's slave, he was devoted to his master because Candide was a very good fellow. Cacambo was quarter Spaniard of half-breed Argentine stock, and had been successively chorister, verger, sailor, monk, commercial traveler, soldier, and footman. He helps Candide and Lady Cunegonde.

The Old Woman

The old woman was the daughter of Pope Urban X. She was very beautiful , with grace, accomplishments, and she was surrounded by delights of all kinds. She was the Princess of Palestrina. Apparently she had the greatest breasts in all lands. She had a bad experience, she was raped by pirates, she became a slave girl, her husband died along with mother, and cannibalism in wartime. Her butt was cut off. As a result of these bad experiences, she became ugly.

Pangloss

Pangloss taught metapysico-theologo-cosmolo-nigology. He proved that there is no effect without a cause, and that in this best of all possible worlds, his lordship's country seat was the most beautiful of mansions and her ladyship the best of all possible ladyships. He used to say, 'that things cannot be other than they are, for since everything was made for a purpose, it follows that those who maintain that all is right talk nonsense; they ought to say that all is for the best.'

Lady Cunegonde

Cunegonde, had a fresh, rosy complexion; altogether seductive. She was the daughter of the baron of Thunder-ten-tronckh (a castle in Germany). She was the lover of Candide. Candide returns Lady Cunegonde's love but is willing to betray her for the sake of his own interests. Candide had a mad romantic passion for her. When Candide, finds her again she becomes ugly, and Candide deep inside no longer wants to marry her. But he kills Lady Cunegonde's brother, in order to marry her.

Overview of Candide or Optimism

Candide, who is raised in Thunder-ten-tronckh, is exiled from the German Castle, from innocently kissing the daughter, of a German
baron. The German Baron discovers the love that Candide has for his daughter, Lady Cunegonde. Candide travels to a neighboring town called Waldberghoff-trabk-dikdorff, where he stops at a inn. There at the inn two gentlemen offer him supper. Candide adventures off on his own, when he finds himself captured, and forced to fight in the Bulgars. He escapes the battle, and is determined to find Lady Cunegonde. He ends up in Holland and he is kindly taken in be an Anabaptist named James. Then he runs into Pangloss. Then he later finds out that it is Dr. Pangloss, and starts to ask questions about Lady Cunegonde. Dr. Pangloss then tells Candide of the Castle of Thunder-ten-tronckh, which was invaded by the Bulgar army, all inside were killed, brutally. James left to Lisbon, for bussiness and took Candide, and Pangloss.On the voyage Pangloss explains to Candide, that all was designed for the best. James dies on a shipwreck because of a storm. All perished except for Pangloss, Candide, and the sailor who is responsible for the Anabaptist James. They wash up on shore, and arrive in Lisbon where an earthquake happened. They preform the auto-da-fe to prevent future earthquakes. An auto-da-fe is where people are sacrificed and burned alive in a slow fire. Pangloss is hanged and Candide is severely flogged. Candide is taken inn by an old woman, he says to pull himself together and follow him. The old woman takes him to a small house, where she cure him. She then took him another house where Lady Cunegonde appeared before him. They spoke fondly she told him her story of how she came to her house. As they spoke the Hebrew Don Issachar came in and charged at Candide. Candide, then kills Don Issachar and the Cardinal Inquisitor, they shared Lady Cunegonde. Lady Cunegonde, Candide, and the old woman, flee to Cadiz. Candide, became captain when he showed off his military skill in front of a fleet, which was on its way to rebel against the Kings of Spain and Portugal. Candide promised to marry Lady Cunegonde. Governer, Don Fernando d'ibaraa y Figueora y Mascarenes y Lampourdos y Souza, wanted to marry himself. Then a Spanish Magistrate arrived at Bueno Sayrs. Candide then left with his new slave, Cacambo leaving behind his lovely lady Cunegonde and the old woman. They went to go see the Jesuit of Paraguay, he was the brother of lady Cunegonde. Candide and Lady Cunegonde's brother were talking when the Jesuit of Paraguay struck Candide across the face with the flat of his sword, then Candide instantly drew his own and plunged it up to the hilt in the Baron's stomach. And Candide panicked. Candide and his servant reached the country of Eldorado. They stayed in the city of Eldorado, were they had wealth, beyond that of any King. They then later left, to find Lady Cunegonde, with 50 red sheep, they had gold and diamonds. They set sail to Cayenne. They loose all they sheep except for two. Candide, told Cacambo to head off to Buenos Ayres and seize Lady Cunegonde. This is where Candide and Cacambo separate, Candide sailed off to Venice, where he is there to wait for Camambo. Before he left he befriended Martin, and took him with him. On the way to Venice they decided to stop in Paris, France. There Candide become ill, and upon his healing he met an abbe who shows him around in Paris he takes him to a theater where they see a play. Where Candide cheats on Lady Cunegonde, with a lady from a play. Candide arranged to meet Lady Cunegonde at Venice. Candide receives a letter, from Lady Cunegonde, which makes him believe she is in the city. Lady Cunegonde, can not talk or see him. Candide gets arrested, and the abbe gets the gold. Martin and Candide convince the officer, to let them go, Candide gave him diamonds, and the officer told him that his brother will take him to England. From England they reached Venice, for the search of Cacambo. They spent months waiting for Cacambo, where they end up reuniting with Pacquette. He mets six former kings, where Cacambo is a slave for one of them. Cacambo tells Candide and Martin that Lady Cunegonde is in Constantinople. He therefore goes to a journey to go to Constantinople to find his beloved Cunegonde. Candide is told by Cacambo, that Cunegonde has become horribly ugly, she is a slave in the house of an old Prince called Ragotski, to whom the Grand Turk allows seven and sixpence a day as a refugee. They set off to Constantinople where Candide sees Dr. Pangloss, and the brother of Cunegonde. He pays the captain for the freedom of Pangloss and the Baron. They arrive in Constantiople, where they see the old woman, and Lady Cunegonde. They then buy the old woman and Cunegonde's freedom. Cunegonde did not know she had grown so ugly, since no one had told her; but she then reminds Candide of his promise, to marry her. But deep down inside Candide had not to wish to marry Cunegonde, she was pressing him so strongly that he could not retract. They killed the baron again, so that Cunegonde and Candide can get married. After a long period of boredom, they talked to a turk, who seems to be the only one that is happy, the turk says that work banishes these three great evils, boredom, vice, and poverty. Eventually Pangloss's cause and effect was true, "There is a chain of events in this best of all possible worlds."