People who complain about their lives are constantly around me. Some complain because of the amount of homework they receive, other just because their soccer club weren't given a foul. Of course these complains change over time and even disappear, however, Voltaire introduces not one, not two, but three people that have experienced misfortunes as we progress through their lives.
As each character explains their unfortunate events, from Candide to Lady Cunégonde and finally the old woman, they can't possibly think of a person who has endured worst than they have. "...'unless you have been ravished by two Bulgars, had two stabs in your belly, and two of your country houses demolished; unless you have had two mothers and two fathers butchered before your eyes, and beheld two of your lovers flogged at an auto-da-fé, I don't see how you can rival me, especially as I am a baron's daughter with seventy-two quarterings in my coat of arms, and yet have served as a kitchen-maid.'"(pg. 49)
Voltaire writes in the character's point of view with the emotion of hopelessness. With the hint of hyperbole and a pinch of irony here and there makes it more and more obvious to the audience that Voltaire some what mocks their grief. Although, at the end of chapter eleven, Voltaire couldn’t resist to describe how a by stander suffers because he couldn’t take advantage of a beautiful lady because he didn’t have his… male genitalia.
As Voltaire was a famous writer at his time period, he used to write famous works and pamphlets involving freedom of the general population and criticizing the French aristocracy. In doing so, he wrote about citizen lives under misery thus incorporating them into Candide.
Learning from where the old lady came from and how Lady Cunégonde survived, I am eager to read and find out if there are any other people with misfortunes coming from close to death experiences or just not being able to pleasure themselves.
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