Voltaire's+attack+on+the+Church+and+Politics

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** Voltaire's attack on the Church and Politics ** The role of religion in the novella 'Candide' is a prime example of Voltaire's intellect and wit. "The Age of Reason" novella was written to communicate a message on the wrongs of the world, and shows how satirical literature can be humourous and serious, simultaneously.

Now to quote Wikipedia, the font of all knowledge: "As expected by Voltaire, Candide has enjoyed both great success and great scandal. Immediately after its secretive publication, the book was widely banned because it contained religious blasphemy, political sedition and intellectual hostility hidden under a thin veil of naïveté" As is displayed in the above quotation, this "book" contains multiple stabs at the roles of power during it's time of publication and thus stirred controversy amongst the people. As is typical of all authoritarian political systems, the book was banned and avoided.

One of the most Voltaire's most prevalent issues focused on throughout the text was religious hypocrisies. His lifetime abhorrence of autocracy lead to his hatred of the church (particularly the Catholic Church) and the aristocracy. Thus, there are several attacks directed towards these particular groups throughout the text.

Some examples of these attacks in the novel include Pangloss's contraction of Syphillis, a sexually transmitted disease traced back, genealogically, to a "Franciscan Friar" with whom Paquette, Pangloss's love interest was evidently involved. Voltaire's point is that Friar's are supposedly abstinent, and yet he is the source of Pangloss's illness. Another attack on the church came when Cunegonde's old woman suspected a "Reverend Fransican" for stealing Cunegonde's jewels and riches.

To summarize his attacks, Voltaire uses the characters of: the daughter of a Pope, a man who as a Catholic priest should have been celibate; and a hard-line Catholic Inquisitor who hypocritically keeps a mistress. The theme of the hypocrisy of religion is undoubtably present in this novella, and was one of his main motives behind the creation of this text.

In regards to politics, Voltaire focuses mainly on the influence and "corrupting power of money". Candide is described as being even less happy when he is wealthy, as it constantly attracts false friends. Money received from various benefactors throughout the novella only makes him sadder, and drives him to “the last stages of misery". Another look at the corrupting power of money is when the two Inquisitors "in blue" collect Candide from the restaurant after having been exiled from Cunegonde's palace, as Candide is seduced by money and riches and he ends up being flogged, asking to die, and then being saved just before he is to be beheaded.

My wonderful and flawless sources to this incredible information were: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candide http://www.wowessays.com/dbase/ac2/tda60.shtml http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/candide/themes.html

// "All men are born with a nose and ten fingers, but no one was born with a knowledge of God. "// // [|Voltaire] // 