"'Oh, how I should like to see it!' exclaimed Candide, innocently." (Candide by Voltaire Pg. 41). I could not think of anything more absurd in the middle of something already absurd. This is what Candide tells Cunégonde about a scar she has in her inner thigh, while she's in the middle of telling awful story (which is absurd itself). When Candide is taken to Cunégonde, she proceeds to tell him her story, of how she survived, because like Candide, we all thought she was dead. The manner in which she tells the story is completely absurd: she was raped, sold into slavery, beaten, and stabbed. She was treated like some piece of garbage, she was no more than property to a Jew and the Grand Inquisitor. But she tells this story to Candide so naturally, as if things should be that way, as if was a normal chain of events. There is no horror, no hurt, nothing to portray that she might've felt miserable during all she went through. But her story might have a deeper meaning, it could be a criticism of the vulnerability of women in that time period, a criticism of how they didn't really mean anything, and how it was so natural for them to be treated so inhumanly sometimes.
But the absurdity and sarcasm don't stop with her story telling. The quote I started with puts a bit of humor into her story, but also absurdity. Cunégonde is telling him of all his misfortunes, and Candide can only think about coming on to her. It's not only funny, and a bit relaxing in the midst of such a stressful story, but could also represent a male stereotype. Voltaire's sarcasm goes even in the places that seem unimportant, for example the "innocently" when referring to what Candide said. To me, saying that is anything BUT innocent, especially when he said it.
The novel also has its bits and pieces of religious criticism, but by far my favorite example of this happens in chapter ten: "'I strongly suspect tat reverend friar who slept at the same inn with us yesterday at Badajoz' said the old woman, wringing her hands." In this translation they skipped the important detail that the friar was a Franciscan, thus making that quote ironic. Why? Because Franciscan friars had to make a vow of poverty and humbleness, so one would never expect a Franciscan friar to go ahead and steal jewels.
Hey Diego. Good thinking man! You are right, the sarcasm and the absurdity throughout the story is very evident. The story Cunégonde tells Candide is absurd, while the reaction of Candide is even more absurd. No feelings towards all the misfortune. Not even to mention the old woman's story, which is much worse than this one. You will find the same things you mentioned here in the old woman story. Everything is done to her. It is absolutely ABSURD. Who knows what awaits us as we read the rest of the book..
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