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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 3 pages essay that discusses how Voltaire utilizes minor characters to convey his social satire in this comedy "Candide." Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khmincan.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
the world was Gods creation and, therefore, the society of the early eighteenth century was the "best of all possible worlds" (Voltaire 3-4). In his comic masterpiece, "Candide," Voltaire lampoons
this philosophy and offers considerable social criticism of European society by having his protagonist, Candide, offer his innocent and na?ve comments on what befalls him. Additionally, however, Voltaire also uses
a miscellaneous assortment of minor characters, who accompany Candide in his wonderings, as vehicles for making astute social commentaries on Voltaires contemporary society. For example, after being
thrown out of the castle of Baron Thundertentrunks castle for kissing the love of his life, the Barons beautiful daughter Cunegund; surviving the "heroic butchery" of battle; and getting the
contents of a chamber pot heaped upon him for not immediately saying that the Pope is the Antichrist, Candide meets a "kind-hearted Anabaptist, whose name was James" who takes pity
upon him (Voltaire 9). James, a "man who had never been christened," treats the poor Candide like a fellow human being. He takes him home, cleans him up, offers him
food and beer, some money and even proposes to teach him the art of weaving (Voltaire 9). As this tone of this description suggests, Voltaire consistently satirizes the conventional
views of his day through his commentary. James, as an Anabaptist, was considered less than human by many of Europes more conventional Christians. Yet, it is he that acts the
most humanely toward poor abused Candide. When Dr. Pangloss, Candides former tutor who taught the philosophy of optimism, also benefits from James beneficence, the character of James gives Voltaire a
way to comment on the absurdity of some of Dr. Panglosss remarks. When Pangloss espouses on his philosophy of the European society being the best of all possible worlds. James
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