preview

Examples Of Satire In Candide

Decent Essays

George Meredith, an English novelist and poet, once said, “The true test of comedy is that it shall awaken thoughtful laughter.” Many comedic works have a combination of funny scenarios and serious life lessons. The author’s ability to perfectly balance the two and to encourage contemplative laughter gives a deeper understanding of the work as a whole. Voltaire’s famous novella, Candide, provides an example of this balance. Candide is a story that tracks the adventures of the protagonist, Candide, and the great hardships that happen in each stage of his life. Voltaire’s novella captures the abrupt changes in lifestyle, while providing the reader with comic relief. In the novella, Candide, Voltaire uses satire and impractical occasions to invoke thoughtful laughter while expressing the absurdity of the natural world. As a …show more content…

Voltaire’s use of irony and exaggeration elaborates on the meaning of each scenario and the absurd reality of Candide’s life. Voltaire’s greatest satire is one of optimism. Candide is taught that all is for the best in the world in which he lives, yet there is so much negativity occurring around him. The war, the destruction of natural disasters, and the concept of human wrongdoing contribute to the revelation that his previous philosophy is a fallacy. Candide begins to realize that “work keeps us from three great evils: boredom, vices, and need.” Candide concludes that they must “cultivate their own gardens” in order to find true happiness. The suggestion that the former philosophy that can be seen throughout the novella no longer reigns true contributes to the irony of Candide’s thoughts. By recognizing the humor in what seems like a dreadful environment calls for the reader to dive deeper than the literal meaning of the words. The satire invokes thoughtful laughter by expanding on the absurdity of the

Get Access