Voltaire's work, Candide, uses powerful satirical narrative to stand for slavery in the eighteenth century, the supposed Era of Reason, and Candide's epiphany, represented throughout the course of the extract. The passage employs the journeys of Candide and his fellows to Buenos-Aires, in search of his much loved Cunégonde. After five days and nights of traveling, he gets there, with Cacambo, beyond your town of Surinam, where they face a mutilated slave.
The theme of slavery is represented most effectively through the explanations distributed by the characters, as opposed to the physical explanation of the world provided by the narrator. A slave or 'negrave' is found on the ground. His physical position, 'adorable;tendu par terre', reflects his social class and the degradation of slaves. The slave's garment, 'un caleccedil;on de toile bleue', is barely weather-proof or durable, highlighting the poverty endured by slaves and the ruthless attitude of their experts. Voltaire withholds the name of the slave, emphasising the disregard for individual life implied within modern culture. 'Nègre' is used to represent the complete slave human population. This pejorative term further shows society's attitude. However, it's important to notice that Candide first calls him 'mon ami', indicating his open character, perhaps a reflection of Voltaire's opinion of slavery.
Whilst the experts of slaves are very disrespectful with their slaves, the 'nègre' calls his keeper 'maître', exhibiting a profound esteem. To add to master's grandeur, the slave recalls his position in population, qualifying it with the adjective 'fameux'. In such a paragraph, the depiction of slavery is brutal, with the tragedies of the office and punishment talked about with a banal popularity. The vocabulary used when the slave describes how 'la meule nous attrape le doigt, on nous coupe la main; quand nous voulons nous enfuir, on nous coupe la jambe' provides feeling of breathlessness and the futility of his try to escape. This information of troubled 'draws effectively on legislation pertaining to delinquent slaves set out in in the 1685 Code Noir'. The information also pulls a parallel between your relationship between the slave and his get good at. Voltaire's use of 'restrictive adverbials', such as 'neque' illustrate the physical effects of cruelty on the slave. The vocabulary employed by the slave is resigned, with a repeated use of passive constructions such as 'on nous'. The slave then coldly areas, 'c'est à ce prix que vous mangez du sucre en European countries'. This simple affirmation highlights the problem, not only in slavery, however in all degrees of society.
Leibniz's viewpoint of Optimism is apparent in the representation of slavery. The slave's resigned accounts shows an popularity of life shared with those who follow the opinion of Optimism. Leibniz said that both human being and moral evils were part of a larger good. This is further emphasised by the qualification of slavery by the mom of the slave as 'un honneur'. The slave provides an optimistic 'cependant'; this unexpected factor of bathos reinforces Pangloss' 'meilleur des mondes' lifestyle. This optimistic view, personified through Pangloss, contrasts greatly with Candide's viewpoints after witnessing the situation. The absurdity of Optimism, with reference to the slave-trade, is shown when Cacambo asks, 'Qu'est-ce que qu'optimisme?' Cacambo hasn't used an article before optimism, emphasising how little he cares for it. With regards to the novel all together, Optimism is merely mentioned directly within this passage. When it is talked about, it is denounced. Further to the slaves consideration, he compares his situation with this of 'des chiens, des singes et des perroquets'. The animals might possibly symbolize the different public classes within population.
The passing emphasises how slavery was displayed in monetary terms; the slave was sold by his mom for ten 'écus patagons', the money of Spain at that time. Additionally, throughout the slave's bill of how he came to be in this position, it would appear that slavery was symbolized in another way in the West from the homelands of the slaves. The 'nègre' recalls how his mother told him 'ils te feront vivre heureux', describing it as an honour to work for 'nos seigneurs, les blancs'. It is interesting that the masters are classed as 'les Blancs'. Voltaire divides society not only by sociable class, but also by contest. It really is clear that the folks of Guinée were disillusioned by the idea of slavery.
The confusion is further emphasised by the religious theme central to the passage. The lexical field of religion emphasises the spiritual beliefs of the slaves, a central theme in their African culture. Evidently, the slave is spiritual, as he attends church 'tous les dimanches'. However, Voltaire features, yet again, the problem within world by so that it is clear to the reader that the slave have been transformed. The Pasteur remarks they are 'tous enfants d'Adam, blancs et noirs'. This contradicts his prior declaration of the masters being 'les blancs'. Like his clothes and culture, his religious personality has been stripped from him. Here, Voltaire is criticising the cultural system of the period. It is clear that the slaves are taught what they know never to be true, yet they admit it as it's the way of the world in which they live.
Despite Voltaire's thought-provoking depiction of slavery in the passing, it is interesting to look critically at Candide's attitude to the situation. When he first encounters the slave on the road, he addresses him in an agreeable manner, symbolising his naivety and lack of understanding. Voltaire's portrayal of Candide's naivety is referenced even in his name. Candide is taken from Latin and connotes 'whiteness, openness, naivety, innocence and, more adversely, inexperience and credulity'. The unaggressive words of the slave throughout his description of his horrific ordeal is a direct juxtaposition with the natural feelings portrayed through Candide's reaction.
The flaws in Pangloss's optimism are plainly highlighted, especially during Candide's discourse. W. H Barber suggest that the personas 'help Voltaire in his reason for parodying the episodic trip book [making it possible for the audience] to view individuals and narrative as it were externally, and consequently critically to be alert to the caricature and exaggeration, the deliberate implausibilities, the bathetic contrasts'. Despite Candide's denouncing of belief, he does indeed little else to react to the situation. Candide merely starts to cry, leaving the slave where he found him. The reader criticises Candide for not helping to free the slave from his bind in society. Voltaire is provoking this response in the reader to explain the effects of passivity. He also 'seems to consider the challenge as so large and horrifying that [] one can only weep and continue one's way, or presumably, continue steadily to eat glucose with a guilty conscience. '
Throughout this passing, irony plays hardly any part. However, other narrative techniques are used. Personal deixis can be used when Candide is talking to the slave. He asks, 'que fais-tu là, mon ami, dans l'état unpleasant où je te vois?'Here it is impossible for the audience to understand the situation and the terrible state that the slave is without reading into the framework of the question.
The theme of culture can be extensively reviewed in this passage. Discussing 'en hollandais', Candide emphasises his Western european background weighed against the African culture of the slave. Section within contemporary society is plainly illustrated when the slave says Candide that his mutilation is the purchase price that he has paid to consume sugar 'en Europe'. Voltaire demonstrates that the globe is divided. Oddly enough, the slave understands Candide's Dutch, highlighting their social awareness, the importance of communication and the enforcement of other cultures after slaves. The ethnical toleration of the slaves is juxtaposed with the attitude of Western civilisation. African culture is apparently more family-oriented in comparison to Candide's upbringing. The slave refers to his mom, 'ma mere', displaying his value for the advice given to him by his family.
Throughout this passage of Voltaire's Candide, slavery is displayed in a number of ways, especially by the information provided by the slave himself. Furthermore, Candide's attitude highlights the viewpoint of Optimism that Voltaire is designed to go over throughout the whole book. It is stated that 'the narrative of Candide is [. . ] a car carefully made to express a philosophical conversation of topical matter both to the author and audience'. In conclusion, Voltaire has utilized a palette of narrative ways to enrich this passing of the publication.
Word Count number= 1, 490
Bibliography MHRA format
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Cronk, Professor Nicholas, Voltaire and the Voices of Enlightenment, read by Simon Russell Beale, (BBC Radio 3, 2010)
Mason, Haydn, Western Experts : Voltaire (London : Hutchinson, 1975)
Williams, David, Voltaire:Candide (London: Offer and Cutler Ltd, 1997)
Voltaire, Candide, Demonstration by Jean Goldzink, (Paris, Editions Flammarion, 2007)
