The Pursuit of Happiness in Candide
Voltaire’s satire Candide criticizes several institutions, religious beliefs, and social customs of European society during the 18th Century. Although the work attacks many popular ideas, Voltaire explores some of the fundamental questions of humans, asking how we may find satisfaction or happiness in a seemingly dark and corrupt world. He suggests that the key to such contentment is found by minding one's own business and making a true home for himself. In Candide, Voltaire sends protagonist Candide on a worldwide journey in order to chase the love of his life and source of romantic happiness, Cunegonde. Along the way, Candide meets many people, all of which are at various levels of happiness; from the Friar and Paquette, to Lord Pococurante, and finally the Dervish. The people that Candide encounters on his odyssey allow him to see that it’s not beauty or material items or wealth that make a person happy, but rather by not meddling in the affairs of others, and by making a true home. While in Venice, Martin and Candide come across a young Friar with a girl on his arm walking through St. Mark’s Piazza (Candide 62). Based on their youthful, sparkling appearances, …show more content…
And Martin is entirely correct. Pococurante is overly critical of the artwork he possesses, stating that they are too dark or that the figures aren’t depicted well enough, and claims that he has many pieces of artwork, but prizes them insufficiently. He is also not appreciative of the two women that he has working for him, which he uses to fulfill his sexual desires, and claims that they bore him. (Candide 65-66). Though he may have so much when it comes to materialistic wealth, he lacks happiness and fulfillment, and it seems as though “Nothing can please him” (Candide
Voltaire’s satire Candide criticizes several institutions, religious beliefs, and social customs of European society during the 18th Century. Although the work attacks many popular ideas, Voltaire explores some of the fundamental questions of humans, asking how we may find satisfaction or happiness in a seemingly dark and corrupt world. He suggests that the key to such contentment is found by minding one's own business and making a true home for himself. In Candide, Voltaire sends protagonist Candide on a worldwide journey in order to chase the love of his life and source of romantic happiness, Cunegonde. Along the way, Candide meets many people, all of which are at various levels of happiness; from the Friar and Paquette, to Lord Pococurante, and finally the Dervish. The people that Candide encounters on his odyssey allow him to see that it’s not beauty or material items or wealth that make a person happy, but rather by not meddling in the affairs of others, and by making a true home. While in Venice, Martin and Candide come across a young Friar with a girl on his arm walking through St. Mark’s Piazza (Candide 62). Based on their youthful, sparkling appearances, …show more content…
And Martin is entirely correct. Pococurante is overly critical of the artwork he possesses, stating that they are too dark or that the figures aren’t depicted well enough, and claims that he has many pieces of artwork, but prizes them insufficiently. He is also not appreciative of the two women that he has working for him, which he uses to fulfill his sexual desires, and claims that they bore him. (Candide 65-66). Though he may have so much when it comes to materialistic wealth, he lacks happiness and fulfillment, and it seems as though “Nothing can please him” (Candide