A Gilded Society (Candide 10-15)

During chapters 10 to 15, Candide, Cunegund and the Old woman escape to Cadiz, where they find passage on a ship headed to the New World, to the city of Buenos Ayres. On this trip is where the old woman begins to tell her story, to prove to Cunegund her life was harder. During this story, I find that Voltaire is making fun of the Church, mocking its power and hypocrisy. The Christian Church is supposed to be strict at following their own rules, they're peaceful and generous an whatnot. Something that I found quite funny was the fact that the Old woman mentioned she was the daughter of Pope Urban X. It shows that the Church doesn't follow its own principles and rules, concerning those of celibacy. Popes, despite being bound by rules of celibacy, have children. Also, when the old woman is describing when she ran off with her mother, she uses the words "...gilded, like the high altar of St. Peter's ..."(Voltaire). Its interesting that Voltaire would use these words, because it shows that the Church is something different to what it seems to be. Does Voltaire see the Church as a corrupt entity? Does he view it as something that doesn;t care about others but will do anything to be in control and power? "...Our men...like true Pope's soldiers..." (Voltaire). Pope's soldiers? I thought the Church was supposed to be peaceful and meant to protect others, even your enemy? Perhaps Voltaire is pointing out something that he views as a hypocrisy. There's also another line which uses the phrase "Christian governments" (Voltaire). Here he shows how Christians control everything and what they really want is power and to control. Still, it's not only in the case of the Christian Church. The old woman was taken throughout Africa, especially North Africa, a region of predominant Muslim faith. Even though, she, her mother and bridesmaids were treated horribly by their masters, these never stopped praying for their faith. I find it funny how Voltaire makes it implicit in the text that he mocks religious organizations.

Candide and Cunegund have a very similar history to the old woman. All of them lost their wealthy and high-style life because of foreign attacks made on them. They practically lost everything when their families and homes were attacked by others, they were forced to be slaves and they were treated horribly, Cunegund and the old woman by horrible masters and Candide by the Bulgarian army while being trained there. Still, Cunegund's fortunes change after being preferred by the governor of Buenos Ayres. Is there some meaning as to why she was the one who was chosen to move on with her life? Does Voltaire give her success over the other two because one wasn't royal blood and the other was "Christian" blood? I also find it interesting that both the old woman and Candide are forced to leave their normal lives and after some time in their new life the reunite with their masters, Pangloss and the italian guy who used to take care of the woman. Still, she was betrayed by him whereas Candide always lived by Pangloss's ideas.

Throughout this novel, one can see how the society of the time was reflected in the story. He shows how the Church officials have power, for example the portuguese Grand Inquisitor and the Jesuit Reverend of Paraguay (Cunegund's brother). He also seems to show how Europe was a higher society than others, how it was a more organized and civilized culture, except for the Bulgarians, who are shown as Barbarians. Africans described in the old woman's story are animals and barbarians who don't know how to act, they kill at will, they rape and they still treat slaves horribly. Indians in South American colonies are also shown as a lower kind. Locals are shown eating "coarse corn out of wooden dishes in the open air," while"the Reverend Father Commandant retired to his cool arbor." Eurpoeans, though being in a different land, still act as if they are meant to be there and civilize cultures there. Cities were designed by them but still Europeans see themselves as better. In one line, Cacambo mentions someone "who kills Spaniards in America and send them to heaven at Madrid." They see their own society as divine and perfect. Maybe Voltaire is also somehow tryinig to show negative points in Europe. Even though they are civilized, they still conquer others, they think too much of themselves, and they depend on the Church too much.