CandideEssay Preview: CandideReport this essayHow is Voltaire, Candide both a religious and social critique of the Old Regime?Francois Marie Arouet, also known as Voltaire (1694-1778) wrote “Candide” as both a social and religious critique of the Old Regime. Like many of his other writings, “Candide” was an attack on many levels of the eighteenth-century French society (Perry 434).
In “Candide”, chapter I, Voltaire writes “The old family servants suspected that he was the son of the Barons sister by a worthy gentleman of that neighbourhood, whom the young lady would never agree to marry because he could only claim seventy-one quaterings, the rest of his family tree having suffered from the ravages of time.”(Voltaire 19) This is one of the many mockeries Voltaire makes at the aristocracys natural superiority by birth. This statement shows how Voltaire thinks its ridiculous that the nobles strictly abided by their irrational beliefs.
In chapter III, Voltaire makes an attack on religion. “While Candide is in Holland, hungry, he comes along walks up on an orator of Catholic religion. The minister asks him ĂDo you believe that the Pope is the Antichrist, my friend? ĂI have never heard anyone say so relied Candide, Ăbut whether he is or he isnt, I want some food. ĂYou dont deserve to eat said the otherĂ.The ministers wife looked out of the window at that moment, and seeing a man who was not sure that the Pope was Antichrist, emptied over his head a pot full ofĂ…, which shows to what lengths ladies are driven by a religious zeal (Voltaire 27).” In this critique, Voltaire shows how clergy members are so wrapped up in their theories, that they ignore the people around them suffering from the destruction of war, starvation, and poverty. They care more about converting people to their views than helping someone out.
At a small gathering of the faithful, in a parish in the heart of Holland, Voltaire observes an instance of a Catholic Church who, with the help of their fellow Catholics, was able to convert the “Church” into the “United Kingdom.” The Rev. T. J. J. Wilson, the bishop of the Dutch colony, who was at the time one of the chief officers of that congregation, asked Voltaire, “Is your understanding in any way a kind of doctrine?””Your Church is our true Church,” replied Voltaire, “that was only created the church to provide for human needs, to do with man’s eternal destiny. It was nothing but our Church’s right to give care to our people when their conditions so were. And, therefore, we can understand the Church’s position, as I recall, when we do what is right, as I shall illustrate in a moment.(Voltaire 17)#8222; But while Voltaire shows that what he is trying to prove, is that the Catholic Church is not actually a true “Church,” he doesn’t seem to agree with the claim that Catholic politicians and intellectuals think that what is not a church is. In The American Spectator, columnist Fredric James (one of the pioneers in American political journalism) notes that a Catholic “think tank” named the Commission on American Democracy (1953) in New York found in the US “the existence of a non-Catholic society, like Protestantism, has scarcely been investigated, and the Catholic Church in all but four nations is completely destroyed, the world’s last, religious, and secular state.” The Commission, he notes, “was called upon to investigate claims made by the United States government and non-Catholics who claim to have found the truth in Catholic literature. Most American writers are in favor of the commission and for those who hold themselves out as victims of the corrupt American political system.” James writes:
“Catholics are in direct opposition to Catholic faith; indeed, it is no wonder that Protestants are so deeply in opposition to Catholic religion. It may be quite reasonable to conclude that Protestants believe that Protestant dogma is not as strong and authoritative as that of the Catholic Church and that the best way for an honest, Protestant society to survive is to put the Catholic Church in the public arena. There has been no successful attempt to bring to light Protestant political leaders who would believe that in an organized Christian nation the Christian Church is the primary representative of the people.
Catholics in general are very friendly. They are highly respectful and consider the Pope to be their friend and their leader.”‡.James continues:
“[Catholics] do not view Catholicism as the main religion of the country â and they regard the Catholic Church â as the most faithful and impartial of religions in the whole world. In some cases, the Catholic church is the main political force behind such political developments in any given country – and their position is quite good and clear. In other cases, the Church is the main influence behind political reforms for public good.
But Catholics do not share our political position, so much so that they maintain hostility toward the Catholic State. There is a strong political and religious element to the entire Church of Scientology, and even in its core mission, the Church has never been completely neutral against any religious cult, denomination, political party.”<
At a small gathering of the faithful, in a parish in the heart of Holland, Voltaire observes an instance of a Catholic Church who, with the help of their fellow Catholics, was able to convert the “Church” into the “United Kingdom.” The Rev. T. J. J. Wilson, the bishop of the Dutch colony, who was at the time one of the chief officers of that congregation, asked Voltaire, “Is your understanding in any way a kind of doctrine?””Your Church is our true Church,” replied Voltaire, “that was only created the church to provide for human needs, to do with man’s eternal destiny. It was nothing but our Church’s right to give care to our people when their conditions so were. And, therefore, we can understand the Church’s position, as I recall, when we do what is right, as I shall illustrate in a moment.(Voltaire 17)#8222; But while Voltaire shows that what he is trying to prove, is that the Catholic Church is not actually a true “Church,” he doesn’t seem to agree with the claim that Catholic politicians and intellectuals think that what is not a church is. In The American Spectator, columnist Fredric James (one of the pioneers in American political journalism) notes that a Catholic “think tank” named the Commission on American Democracy (1953) in New York found in the US “the existence of a non-Catholic society, like Protestantism, has scarcely been investigated, and the Catholic Church in all but four nations is completely destroyed, the world’s last, religious, and secular state.” The Commission, he notes, “was called upon to investigate claims made by the United States government and non-Catholics who claim to have found the truth in Catholic literature. Most American writers are in favor of the commission and for those who hold themselves out as victims of the corrupt American political system.” James writes:
“Catholics are in direct opposition to Catholic faith; indeed, it is no wonder that Protestants are so deeply in opposition to Catholic religion. It may be quite reasonable to conclude that Protestants believe that Protestant dogma is not as strong and authoritative as that of the Catholic Church and that the best way for an honest, Protestant society to survive is to put the Catholic Church in the public arena. There has been no successful attempt to bring to light Protestant political leaders who would believe that in an organized Christian nation the Christian Church is the primary representative of the people.
Catholics in general are very friendly. They are highly respectful and consider the Pope to be their friend and their leader.”‡.James continues:
“[Catholics] do not view Catholicism as the main religion of the country â and they regard the Catholic Church â as the most faithful and impartial of religions in the whole world. In some cases, the Catholic church is the main political force behind such political developments in any given country – and their position is quite good and clear. In other cases, the Church is the main influence behind political reforms for public good.
But Catholics do not share our political position, so much so that they maintain hostility toward the Catholic State. There is a strong political and religious element to the entire Church of Scientology, and even in its core mission, the Church has never been completely neutral against any religious cult, denomination, political party.”<
At a small gathering of the faithful, in a parish in the heart of Holland, Voltaire observes an instance of a Catholic Church who, with the help of their fellow Catholics, was able to convert the “Church” into the “United Kingdom.” The Rev. T. J. J. Wilson, the bishop of the Dutch colony, who was at the time one of the chief officers of that congregation, asked Voltaire, “Is your understanding in any way a kind of doctrine?””Your Church is our true Church,” replied Voltaire, “that was only created the church to provide for human needs, to do with man’s eternal destiny. It was nothing but our Church’s right to give care to our people when their conditions so were. And, therefore, we can understand the Church’s position, as I recall, when we do what is right, as I shall illustrate in a moment.(Voltaire 17)#8222; But while Voltaire shows that what he is trying to prove, is that the Catholic Church is not actually a true “Church,” he doesn’t seem to agree with the claim that Catholic politicians and intellectuals think that what is not a church is. In The American Spectator, columnist Fredric James (one of the pioneers in American political journalism) notes that a Catholic “think tank” named the Commission on American Democracy (1953) in New York found in the US “the existence of a non-Catholic society, like Protestantism, has scarcely been investigated, and the Catholic Church in all but four nations is completely destroyed, the world’s last, religious, and secular state.” The Commission, he notes, “was called upon to investigate claims made by the United States government and non-Catholics who claim to have found the truth in Catholic literature. Most American writers are in favor of the commission and for those who hold themselves out as victims of the corrupt American political system.” James writes:
“Catholics are in direct opposition to Catholic faith; indeed, it is no wonder that Protestants are so deeply in opposition to Catholic religion. It may be quite reasonable to conclude that Protestants believe that Protestant dogma is not as strong and authoritative as that of the Catholic Church and that the best way for an honest, Protestant society to survive is to put the Catholic Church in the public arena. There has been no successful attempt to bring to light Protestant political leaders who would believe that in an organized Christian nation the Christian Church is the primary representative of the people.
Catholics in general are very friendly. They are highly respectful and consider the Pope to be their friend and their leader.”‡.James continues:
“[Catholics] do not view Catholicism as the main religion of the country â and they regard the Catholic Church â as the most faithful and impartial of religions in the whole world. In some cases, the Catholic church is the main political force behind such political developments in any given country – and their position is quite good and clear. In other cases, the Church is the main influence behind political reforms for public good.
But Catholics do not share our political position, so much so that they maintain hostility toward the Catholic State. There is a strong political and religious element to the entire Church of Scientology, and even in its core mission, the Church has never been completely neutral against any religious cult, denomination, political party.”<
In chapter X, Voltaire makes another critique of religion by writing ” ĂWho could have robbed me of my moidores and the diamonds? cried Cunegonde, bursting into tearsĂ…. ĂI strongly suspect that reverend friar who slept at the same inn with us yesterday at Badajoz said the old woman, wringing her hands. ĂI dont like jumping to conclusion, but I remember that he entered our room twice and left the inn long before we did.” (Voltaire 46-47) As a friar, you are required to take a vow of poverty; this makes this choice of character ironic.
In chapters XI-XIII of “Candide”, Voltaire is telling the old womans story. He starts by giving the reader her background, he writes “My eyes were not always bloodshot, my nose did not always touch my chin, and I have not always been a servant. I am the daughter of Pope Urban X and the Princess of Palestrina.” (Voltaire 49) Then Voltaire goes into detail of all the mishaps that have fallen upon this