Synopsis
Candide
In the idyllic German castle of Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, resident philosopher
Dr. Pangloss trains the baron’s illegitimate nephew Candide in optimism—that
he lives in the “best of all possible worlds.” When the Baron’s
beautiful daughter Cunegonde sees Pangloss and the chambermaid Paquette sexually
engaged in some bushes, she flirts with Candide. When the baron sees them,
he expels Candide from the castle.
Nursing his emotional wounds in town, Candide is conscripted into the vicious
Bulgar army. He escapes to Holland, where he meets Jacques the Anabaptist,
whose charity reinforces Candide’s optimism. There he finds his old tutor
Pangloss, who is almost unrecognizable as a beggar with syphilis (contracted
from Paquette). Pangloss reveals that the Bulgars sacked the castle of Thunder-ten-tronckh
and murdered the baron’s entire family. Candide is heartbroken at the
loss of Cunegonde, but he takes Pangloss to be cured by Jacques.
The three men sail for Lisbon, only to be shipwrecked in a violent storm.
Jacques dies trying to save an ungrateful sailor, and Pangloss comforts Candide
by claiming that Lisbon harbor was created for Jacques to drown in it. The
survivors reach land just in time to witness a devastating earthquake. In the
morning, Pangloss unwittingly discusses his philosophy with a member of the
Spanish Inquisition, who sentences both Pangloss and Candide to die for heresy
in an auto-da-fé meant to avert another earthquake. Pangloss is hanged.
Candide escapes but is shocked when an old woman leads him to Cunegonde, who
explains that people survive being raped and disemboweled. She serves as the
mistress to the Inquisitor and to a Jewish merchant, and when they arrive to
use her, Candide kills both. The three escape to the Americas.
When they arrive in Buenos Aires, the Governor proposes marriage to Cunegonde.
Suddenly, a Portugese officer arrives to arrest Candide for murdering the Inquisitor.
Candide flees to Paraguay with his valet, Cacambo. On their way, they stop
at a border post and meet Cunegonde’s brother. Candide tells the brother
that he plans to marry Cunegonde, but the brother attacks and Candide kills
him.
After barely escaping cannibals, Candide and Cacambo find themselves in El
Dorado, where the pebbles are precious stones and everyone lives peacefully
according to rational thought. After a month of bliss, Candide leaves El Dorado
to find Cunegonde. When they reach Suriname, Cacambo goes to find Cunegonde
for his master. Before Candide leaves for Europe, he hires the thoroughly un-optimistic
Martin as a new companion. The two discuss philosophy as they travel from South
America to Europe. In Venice, Candide meets Paquette, now a prostitute, and
her lover, the monk Brother Giroflée. Candide argues that they,
at least, are truly happy. Martin disagrees, and uncovers their true despair.
Cacambo returns with news that Cunegonde is in Constantinople. On the way
there, Candide meets two galley slaves who are actually Pangloss and Cunegonde’s
brother. He buys their freedom and continued passage to the Ottoman coast.
There he buys the now ugly Cunegonde’s freedom, and Candide marries her
to spite her brother. They meet a Turk who lives by devoting his life to simple
work, and decide to try his philosophy. So Candide, Pangloss, Cunegonde, the
old woman, Martin, Paquette and Brother Giroflée settle down on a farm
and set about cultivating their garden.
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