Candide

2 Pages 592 Words

In the beginning of Voltaire’s Candide, Candide is expelled from the Baron's castle for kissing Cunégonde. After forced enlistment in the Bulgarian army Candide fled to Holland where he met Jacques the Anabaptist, and found the philosopher, Dr. Pangloss. Pangloss told Candide that the Bulgarians raped and disemboweled Cunégonde. Following the news, Candide, Jacques, and Pangloss sailed to Lisbon. A storm destroyed the ship leaving Jacques to drown, and Candide and Pangloss survived only to watch as an earthquake and tidal wave level Lisbon. Pangloss insisted that despite the total ruin of Lisbon, the world is still the best of all possible worlds. For making such a heretical statement, Pangloss is hung while Candide is beaten during a ceremony of the Spanish Inquisition.
Later, an old woman reunited Candide with Cunégonde, who survived the Bulgarian invasion. Cunégonde was then the mistress of both Don Issachar and the Grand Inquisitor of Lisbon. Candide ended up killing them both because of their jealous rage. Then Candide, Cunégonde, and the old woman fled to Cadiz and Candide volunteered to fight against the Jesuits in Paraguay. After the fights the three sailed to Buenos Aires and upon arrival the old woman spotted a ship from Spain in hot pursuit, so once again Candide had to flee.
Candide and his valet Cacambo then joined the Jesuits. The Commandant of the Jesuits was actually Cunégonde's brother, the Baron's son. The reunion turned sour when the Baron's son forbade Candide to marry Cunégonde. The commandant attacked Candide and unfortunately was stabbed in the process. Candide and Cacambo escaped only to be captured by the Oreillons, a tribe of natives, but luckily, the diplomatic Cacambo convinced the natives to release them.

Next, Candide and Cacambo happen upon the Utopian kingdom of Eldorado. After a short stay, Candide and Cacambo left, with 102 red sheep covered in jewels, to find Cunégonde. They arrived ...