Theme Of Slavery In Candide

Voltaire was the French philosopher and one of the prominent Enlightenment thinkers. His intelligence, wit, and style in expressing the reality of his age through his writing made him one of the greatest writers on his age despite the controversies he attracted. He produced works in almost all the literary forms such as plays, novels, essays, and poetry. His school of thought greatly influenced British Empiricism and attacked the philosophers of Continental Rationalism. Voltaire’s prominent work Candide aimed at mocking Leibniz’s optimism. In addition, Voltaire attempted to refute Descartes’ metaphysics which is based on Locke’s Empiricism . On analyzing Voltaire’s Candide in detail, the readers can understand that he is undoubtedly an Enlightenment

thinker and has attempted to satirize religious tradition, social order, theme of slavery, crime, and punishment, and his idea of progress of the society– all of which has made his work remarkable and a good read for more than two hundred and fifty years.
On examining Voltarie’s Candide, it can be said that the work highly satirizes the social institutions of the 18th century. Though the work is a great satire, the work is sure to contain enlightened thoughts mainly focusing on the revolutionary movements in France. The book contains many scathing attacks mostly through satire, irony on Church and the philosophies, slavery and crime that were prevailing during that period. The satire that it makes on religious institutions is comical and there are various solutions offered by the author other than living a normal life. Voltaire in his work has voiced for equal rights for women. The lack of truly enlightened ideas in practice can be observed throughout the work. Though Voltaire voiced for women rights in his work, this is not evident in reality during his period. The main female characters in this work are portrayed as women who marry for money, involve in prostitution, disease-spreaders and mostly are victims. From this, it is clear that the social order and values of the society lies only within the sense that it exposed weaknesses in the societal structure during the 18th century.
Voltaire has satirized religion in his work Candide. When reading the novel closely, there are several religious connections that are contrary to how they should be acting in reality. In Candide, Voltaire explores the hypocrisy that was out of control in the Church. The inhumanities of the clergy, executing the fellow citizens based on philosophical differences are some of the worst practices of the Churches of that time. Moreover, Voltaire accepts the flogging in the work as merely “listening with an air of approval” which clearly shows that he accepts blasphemy . Also, the Church officials in Candide are portrayed as most sinful people. They are shown as people having mistresses, engaging themselves in homosexual affairs, and involving themselves in stealing jewelry. For instance, in chapter 11, the old woman who travelled with Candide and Cunegonde is actually the Pope’s daughter. The Pope is supposed to be celibate; however, Voltaire portrayed Pope as a man who has a family which is considered as the most absurd example of hypocrisy in the Church hierarchy. This is one of the instances through which Voltaire satirizes people’s religious inclination of that time. Secondly, in chapter 10, Cunegonde finds her guns and jewelry missing. Voltaire satirizes the practices and norms of the Church and presents the happenings of the Church as satire and irony in Candide. The revolutionary action that appears in the novel is against the philosophical speculation that is widespread throughout the work.
Next, Voltaire has addressed the theme of slavery very effectively throughout the novel.

The characters in the novel lead a slave life throughout which depicts the poverty stricken lifestyle of people of 18th century. Rather than providing a physical description of the happenings, Voltaire has explained the incidents in details. For instance, the grave digger and the slave’s cloths highlight the poverty in which they survive and the slavery practiced by the masters on them. Voltaire retains the names of the slaves till the end mainly with the intention to depict how the human life is disregarded in society. The term “grave” is used throughout the text to denote the society’s attitude. It is significant to note that Candide first calls Voltaire “mon ami” which shows the author’s attitude toward slavery. Also, the treatment of slavery is clearly brought out in the text. Masters disrespect slaves and render brutal treatment. Slaves are bound to accept the ill treatment of their masters and serve them throughout their life. Voltaire here satirizes Leibniz’s optimism philosophy. The optimistic views which is personified through Pangloss contrasts with the views of Candide’s opinion. In addition, slavery was largely practiced mainly for monetary gains. The slaves were sold by their mother for mere pennies. Also, class system was clearly established in the text. The masters were called “les Blancs” and animals that appear in the book represent different social classes within the

society. Thus, Voltaire divided the society in which he lived based on both social class and race.
Voltaire’s thought provoking depiction of slavery and religion shows the protagonist’s attitude toward the situation. During his initial encounter with slaves, he talks to them in a polite manner. On the contrary, the slaves’ passive language juxtaposes with the raw emotions to Candide’s reaction. This clearly shows the class differences that privileged among people during that period. Next, culture is deeply emphasized throughout the text. The protagonist’s European culture is compared with the African culture of the slaves. The class division is thus clearly established and it can be understood when the slaves explain Candide his mutation is the price that he has given to be in Europe. This shows that the slaves have learnt to adapt to be in Europe for survival reasons . Thus, throughout the text, slavery is brought out in several ways, especially with the description that the slaves provide about themselves.
On reading the text closely, it is evident that Voltaire has attempted to provide a proactive solution to the problems that were prevalent in society. Toward the end of the text, the readers can observe that the group manages to lighten the problems that were posed by the society. This is clear when reading the ending of the text. The text and the characters in the story clearly demonstrate the uselessness of idle philosophy and Voltaire has explained ways how some of the inherent damages created by his contemporary philosophies can be rectified. This is evident when Pangloss who follows his own philosophies later follows the quotes of Voltaire in Candide “This world is the best of all possible worlds ” which actually causes damage to others. In another instance, when Jacques is drowning, Pangloss attributes the incident in an idiotic fashion to the fact that “the bay of Lisbon had been formed expressly for the Anabaptist to drown in ” and behaves in a reluctant manner. In simple words, philosophies which were created for the welfare of the society and in bringing about a positive change in society resulted in damaging the society at the end.
Voltaire in his work clearly states that the philosophies have turned out to be useless and even resulted in damaging the society to large extend. In addition, the philosophical ways of looking at the world have all proven wrong. Pangloss’s blinding optimism has turned to be false and Voltaire has stated that revolution in this world can happen only when people turn against the philosophies completely. Voltaire has conveyed this message to the people when the society in which he was living was completely based on philosophical thoughts and this message from Voltaire, who was considered as the most recognized philosophers of his time seemed ironic to people. This is one of the fine examples to prove that Voltaire is truly an Enlightenment thinker. His thoughts and philosophies truly helped in bringing a revolution in the society.
Voltaire through his work has not attempted to bring a change in the society; instead, he had just attempted to point out the flaws of the society. From this it is also clear that the popular idea of Enlightenment ideas are not followed by people in reality and therefore it is not expressed in the text. This is evident by Voltaire’s portrayal of women characters in Candide. As there are various views followed during the period of the French Revolution regarding the rights of women, the progressive thinkers like the Voltaire attempted to mention the folios of society and the rights of women in their works even though such thinkers did not align with such ideas in reality.
Thus, Voltaire can be called an Enlightenment thinker as he voiced for rights of women and introduced various ideas of revolution which were not accepted by anybody including prominent thinkers of that period of time.

Voltaire and many other philosophers who shared similar thinking had stated that women were not considered equals during their time. This is clear from the following statement - “The state of their [women’s] natural weakness does not permit them to pre-eminence…” their very weakness generally gives them more lenity and moderation, qualifications fitter for good administration . This attitude clearly seems to hide a deeper underside of the patriarchal attitudes of men who set apart a few exceptions. Even at that time, there were some women leaders who enjoyed the privileges similar to that of men of that

time.
Though Candide contains women characters to be weak and defenceless and shown as victims to violent male’s desire, they also displayed the internal strength in various ways. They prove to be better survivors compared to men. There are many incidents in the text which explains how women suffered of rape, slavery, and of being submissive to men and society at large. The sufferings depicted in the text show that women had no choice than to adapt to the gruesome practices. For instance, the old woman explains her past just to share her experience and not to gain self-pity to her listeners. Also, the female characters in the text do not contribute for farce. They just hold true to the stereotypes portrayed in the story like the gold diggers, prostitutes, life of old women, etc. Though this novel is written by an enlightenment thinker, true ideals of enlightenment thinking are not asserted in the text. Thus, Voltaire through his classic work, Candide has attempted to show a new way to find solution all the faults that were in practice during 18th century Europe. Voltaire’s suggestions to change the society which were filled with follies clearly prove him to a greatest Enlightenment thinker of his period.