Candide Character Analysis
First published by Voltaire on the year 1759, Candide depicts a story of a young man who was taught to believe in a world full of optimism, as what his mentor Pangloss, used to teach him. Living in a state of naivety, he eventually went out into the world after experiencing a series of misfortunes which left him from one miserable state into another.
Throughout the course of the story, Candide remains an optimist while believing that everything happens for the best reason as he struggles to be reunited with Cunégonde, the love of his life.
Candide was later on portrayed in operas and has since then made quite a name and controversy in the world of literature. The different main characters portray their own personalities, which make the story highly interesting, fast-moving and full of lessons.
An In-depth Analysis of the Following Characters:
Candide.
Also known as “innocence”, Candide is a young man full of optimism. He grows up believing that he is always at the right place and at the perfect time, according to the philosophies he had learned from Pangloss.
During the early stages of the story, he was banished from the castle after his affair with Cunégonde was discovered. He was then thrown into a series of unfortunate circumstances which eventually transformed him into a practical and realistic young man. There are certain events in Candide’s life which made him rethink about Pangloss’ philosophies.
He learned that not all events are as positive as they seem. Some instances forced him to commit evil ways in order to save himself.
Pangloss.
He is the philosopher who taught Candide that the world functions best for everyone. At the start of the novel, he is a firm devotee of optimism, which is highly evident in his teachings and beliefs. However, he also experiences a series of adversities after contracting syphilis and narrowly escaping death, to which he still propagates his views that “everything is meant to happen for