Candide
BY VOLTAIRE
Chapter 1
 How Candide was brought up in a fine castle,
and how he was expelled from it
 Candide – Lived in Westphalia, castle of Lord the
Baron of Thunder-ten-tronckh
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-Good manners, upright heart, easy frankness –
why named “Candide”
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-Son of my Lord the Baron’s sister, she did not
marry Candide’s father
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Got behind the screen with Cunegonde, kissed her, then the
Baron saw and kicked Candide out of the castle.
Chapter 1 Cont
 Baron – One of the most powerful lords in Westphalia
 My Lady the Baroness – weighted 350 pounds
 Miss Cunegonde – 17-yr-old daughter of Lady of
Baroness
 Dr. Pangloss – oracle of the castle, greatest philosopher
of the province, teacher of metaphysico-theologocosmolonigology
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proved that there could not be a effect without a cause
things cannot be otherwise than they are
nose is made to carry glasses
 legs are designed to wear stockings, etc.
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Chapter 2
 What became of Candide among the
Bulgarians
 Candide waledked to neighboring village – Walber-
ghoff-trarbk-dikdorff
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had no money, hungry, tired
2 men invited him to dinner
asked Candide if he loved the King of Bulgarians
Candide said he never saw him, they told him he was the
bulwark, the hero of the Bulgarians
Chapter 2 Cont.
 Candide
was made to perform exercises, was
beaten,
 One day he walked outside, they put him in a
dungeon & asked if he wanted to be whipped or
shot in the forehead. Went through the whipping
2 times & then asked them to shoot him.
 The King of Bulgarians pardoned him.
 Surgeon cured him in 3 weeks
Chapter 3
 How Candide made his escape
 from Bulgarians
 King of Bulgarians battled King of the
 Abares
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30,000 killed
Candide went to another village to Holland.
Asked if he believed the Anti-Christ was alive
Candide did not know, but wanted bread, was treated badly
Anabaptist named James took Candide home, gave him food,
cleaned up, gave him 2 florins for a present
Next day while out for a walk, he met a beggar (Dr. Pangloss)
Chapter 4
 How Candide met Dr. Pangloss & What
happened to them
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Candide gave Pangloss the 2 florins that were from Anabaptist
James, carried him to Anabaptist’s stable to give him bread
Pangloss told him that Cunegonde is dead, killed by Bulgarian
soldiers
Also Castle had been destroyed, Lady the Baroness was dead
Pangloss was dying of pox
Candide went to Anabaptist James, who paid to have Pangloss cured
Pangloss lost an eye and an ear
Pangloss became bookkeeper for Anabaptist James
After 2 months, the 3 went to Lisbon on a ship for business
Ship was attacked by a storm, they could see the harbor or Lisbon
Chapter 5
 Tempest, shipwreck, earthquake and what
became of Pangloss, Candide & Anabaptist James
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On the ship, furious sailor struck Anabaptist James, sailor went
overboard, James tried to save the sailor, but instead James fell into
the sea and died because the sailor wouldn’t save him
Pangloss stopped Candide from throwing himself into the sea. He
demonstrated to Candide that the road to Lisbon had been made on
purpose for this Anabaptist to be drowned
The only survivors were Candide, Pangloss and the sailor who had
drowned Anabaptist James
Candide and Pangloss made it to Lisbon floating on a plank, the
sailor swam
When they got there, there was horrible earthquake
Chapter 5 Cont.
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The sailor took money from the dying, got drunk, etc.
Pangloss told him that it was not right and that he was
choosing his time badly, but the sailor said he was wrong.
Candide was hurt and Pangloss helped him, they then helped
those injured
Pangloss told them that “all this must necessarily be for
the best”
Man who belonged to the inquisition told Pangloss that he
didn’t believe in original sin; for if all is for the best, then there
has been neither fall nor punishment”
Chapter 6
 How a fine inquisition was celebrated to
prevent earthquakes and how Candide was
whipped
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After the earthquake had destroyed ¾ of Lisbon, the
University of Coimbra decided to give the people an inquisition
to prevent earthquakes – they would burn some people to
death with a slow fire and ceremony
They took a Biscayan, convicted of having married his godmother, 2 Portuguese who stripped the lard when eating a
pullet, Dr. Pangloss, who spoke too freely, and Candide
Chapter 6 Cont.
They put them in gowns with paper crowns on their
heads, marched them in procession. There was a pathetic
speech and fine music on an organ.
 Candide was whipped on the back while they were
singing, the rest were burnt.
 Pangloss was hanged
 Candide said to himself, “If this is the best of possible
worlds, what then are the rest?”
 An old woman told him to follow her
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Chapter 7
 How an old woman took care of Candide
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Old woman took him to an old house and took care of him
After he recovered a few days later, she took him to a house in
the country to a guilded closet
She returned with a woman with a veil and told Candide to
take the veil off
It was Miss Cunegonde
Chapter 8
 The history of Cunegonde
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Cunegonde told Candide about how the Bulgarians had murdered her father
and brother and cut her mother to pieces
The Bulgarian soldier then abused her and cut her with his hanger
Then the Bulgarian captain came in and killed the Bulgarian soldier who was
hurting her
The captain carried her as a prisoner of war for 3 months til he lost all of his
money
He sold her to a Jew named Don Issachar
The grand inquisitor saw her and wanted her, but Issachar would not agree
The inquisitor threatened Issachar and they agreed to have her belong to
both of them
Cunegonde was at the inquisition and saw when Pangloss was hanged and
Candide was whipped
Then she had the old woman bring Candide to the house and came to see
him
Chapter 9
 What happened to Cunegonde, Candide, the
grand inquisitor and the Jew
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On Sunday, while they were having supper, Issachar, the Jew, came
in
Issachar was going to kill Candide, but the old woman had given
Candide a sword so he killed Issachar
Cunegonde thought that if Pangloss were still alive, he would give
them advice about what to do in this situation
The Inquisitor came in while the old woman was giving advice
Candide reasoned that he had to kill the Inquisitor or he and
Cunegonde would be roasted alive
Candide killed the Inquisitor
The old woman said there were 3 Andalusian horses in the stable,
they should go to Cadiz immediately
Chapter 10
 In what distress Candide, Cunegonde & old
woman arrived in Cadiz
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Someone robbed Cunegonde all of her diamonds & pistols
The old woman thought it was a cavalier who stayed at the
same inn in Badajos
Pangloss had said that the goods of this world are common to
all men and that every one has an equal right to them
The old woman said they should sell one of the horses, she
would ride with Cunegonde and then they could reach Cadiz
Chapter 10 Cont.
When they got to Cadiz, they were assembling troops and since
Candide had served among the Bulgarians, he was made a
captain
 On the voyage, Candide argued on Pangloss’
philosophy Candide said that they were going to another
world and “that everything is for the best. He said that all
would be well there, the new world is the
 best of all possible worlds”
 Cunegonde had little hope, but the old
woman told her that her life had been far
worse than Cunegonde’s.
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Chapter 11
 The history of the old woman
 The old woman told of when she had been a young and
beautiful princess, daughter of a king
 She was to marry a prince, when his former mistress poisoned
him and he died
 Her mother took her away when at sea, soldiers abused them
and took them as slaves to Morocco
 When they got to Morocco, there were 50 civil wars, battled
over the women
 She saw many killed including her mother
 She pulled herself out of a pile of dead people
 A man with her own speech was there too
Chapter 12
 The sequel of the old woman’s adventures
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Happy to hear someone with her own country’s language, he helped
her to a house and cared for her, told her that he was a singer in the
chapel of her Highness, the Princess of Palestrina (the old woman’s
mother). He had cared for the old woman til she was 6 years old
He told her he would take her to Italy, but instead took her to Algiers
and sold her there to the Dey.
The plague was there, famine and war, everyone dying
Then she was sold to a merchant, sold at Tripoli, sold at Alexandria,
at Smyrna, at Constantinople, sold to Aga
Killed many Russians
Plague made them want to kill and eat the women, but Iman
preached that they could just cut
Chapter 12 Cont.
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the backs of the women to eat instead of killing them
The women were all ready to die
The Russians didn’t care about the condition the women were
in
The French surgeon cured the women
She then went to Moscow, a Boyard made her his gardener and
whipped her every day
She finally escaped, being a servant most recently to Don
Issachar, the Jew
That was how she got to Cunegonde
Old woman told her to ask each passenger to tell her his story
Chapter 13
 How Candide was obliged to part from the fair
Cunegonde & the old woman
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They got each passenger to tell his story on the way to Buenos-Ayres
Cunegonde, Candide and the old woman met the governor
The governor thought Cunegonde to be the prettiest woman he had
ever seen
Asked if he was Candide’s wife, Candide asked the governor to marry
them
The governor asked Cunegonde to marry him, gave her 15 min. to
decide, she consulted with the old woman
She told her that she had nothing since all of her jewelry had been
stolen, if she married the governor, she would be the wife of the
greatest lord in South America and could also made the fortune of
Captain Candide
Chapter 13 Cont.
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While they were talking, the vessel entering the port was the
one where the cavalier was on who had stolen all of
Cunegonde’s jewelry while they were in Cadiz
A report was spread that an Alcald was going to land in pursuit
of the murderer of the grand inquisitor. The old woman told
Cunegonde that she could not run away, she had nothing to
fear and the governor was in love with her
The old woman told Candide to fly or in an hour he would be
burnt alive.
Chapter 14
 How Candide and Cacambo were received by the
clerics of Paraguay
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Candide followed the old woman’s advice and on horses brought a
valet with him from Cadiz named Cacambo to Paraguay
Cacambo told Candide that they needed to run and he had to leave
Cunegonde
He would show Candide how to get to Paraguay to fight for the
clerics
Cacambo knew Paraguay and told Candide that it was an admirable
government, the rulers are masters of everything and the people have
nothing
He told him that he would be the happiest of mortals there, a captain
who understands the Bulgarian exercise would serve well there
Chapter 14 Cont.
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When they reached the first barrier, Candide & Cacambo were
disarmed and their horses were seized, soldiers surrounded them,
the sergeant told them to wait and that the lord ruler does not permit
any Spaniard (Cacambo) to speak
Cacambo told them that Candide was a German and the
commandant immediately said they could speak to him
They were given back their guns and horses and were given food to
eat
They were overjoyed to find out that the Cleric was from Westphalia
just like Candide – it was Cunegonde’s brother, the Baron’s son
They were happy and astonished to see each other and Candide told
him that his sister, Cunegonde, was alive and at the house of the
governor of Buenos-Ayres. He told him that he had come to fight
against the Cleric.
Chapter 15
 How Candide killed the brother of his dear
Cunegonde
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The baron’s son (the commandant) told Candide of the day when he
had seen his mother and father killed and couldn’t find his sister
(Cunegonde) afterwards
He had been flung into a cart with his mother, father, 2 maids and 3
lads to that were murdered to be buried in a chapel which belonged
to the clerics.
When a cleric sprinkled salt holy water on the dead people, some got
in the baron’s eye and the cleric saw his eye balls move and felt his
heart beat
The cleric took the baron to heal and then the baron became a
colonel
The baron was glad to hear that Cunegonde was alive
Chapter 15 Cont.
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Candide told the baron that he wished to marry Cunegonde
The baron was angry to hear this
Candide told him about how he had helped her from the Jew
and the inquisitor and that Cunegonde was willing to marry
him
Master Pangloss had always told Candide that all men are
equal
The cleric baron hit Candide on the face
Candide then killed the cleric baron with his sword, that was
the third man he had killed
Cacambo took the dress that the cleric Baron had worn and put
it on Candide, had him ride his horse to look like he was a
cleric and got out of there
Chapter 16
 What passed between our two travelers and two girls,
two monkeys and the savages called Oreillons
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Candide and Cacambo got out before anyone found out about the death
of the cleric baron
After they traveled for awhile, Cacambo tried to get Candide to eat but he
wouldn’t because he was too upset about having killed the Baron’s son
They heard cries and saw 2 girls running naked chased by 2 large
monkeys
Candide killed the 2 monkeys and thought he had saved the girls from
danger
He thought he made up for killing the Baron’s son by saving the 2 girls
Then Candide saw that the girls were devastated that their monkeys were
dead
Cacambo was afraid that the girls would play a spiteful tick on them
Chapter 16 Cont.
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When they woke up in the morning, they could not move. They had
been bound by cords made of the tree bark and were surrounded by
50 Oreillons with arrows and clubs. They were boiling water in a
cauldron and were going to eat these men who they thought were
clerics
Cacambo went to speak to the Oreillons because he understood the
jargon of these people
He told them that they were not clerics, Candide was just dressed like
a cleric because he had killed one (the Baron’s son)
Cancambo also told the Oreillon people to take the gown to the first
pass of government and find out whether or not Candide had killed a
cleric officer
Cancambo said that if he was lying, the Oreillon people could eat
them
The Oreillon people sent 2 deputies out to check and they returned
saying that Candide was not a cleric after all and the people treated
him well
Chapter 17
 The arrival of Candide and his man at the
Country of Eldorado
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Cacambo said to Candide that this part of the world is no better than
the other
Cacambo wanted to return to Europe
Candide said that they couldn’t. He could not go back to his own
country because the Bulgarians & Arabians would get him, to return
to Portugal he would be burned alive, and he couldn’t leave
Cunegonde in this part of the world
Even though they didn’t know how to get there, they decided to go to
Cayenne. On the way there, their horses died of fatigue and they ate
up all of their supplies
Chapter 17 Cont.
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There was an empty canoe so they filled it with cocoa and got
in to drift down the river
Their canoe was broken in pieces when it hit rocks, they found
a beautiful land, there was gold, rubies and emeralds
everywhere
They spoke Peruvian language and Cacambo interpreted for
Candide
The country was unknown to the rest of the world and so
different nature. They thought it to be the country where
everything really is for the best.
Chapter 18
 What they saw in the country of Eldorado
 - In Eldorado, they went to the home of an old man who told them
that the kingdom was the ancient country of the Incas, who left it to
conquer one part of the world, but instead they were all destroyed
by the Spaniards
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The princes made it a law that anyone who lived there could never leave the
kingdom
The kingdom is surrounded by rocks
Candide asked Cacambo to ask if there was any religion in the country and what
it was
The old man was upset at the question and told him that they had one God they
worshipped, but they never prayed because they had nothing to pray for. They
had everything they needed and just gave thanks to their God.
Candide thought that this place was very different than Westphalia. Pangloss
had never seen Eldorado but if he would have, he would realize it was better in
this land that the castle of Thunder-ten-tronckh and that everyone should travel
Chapter 18 Cont.
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The old man got 6 sheep ready and sent them off to the king’s palace
They were treated very well and found out the custom to greeting the
king was to embrace the King and kiss him on both cheeks
They were shown around the city, they had no prisons there
Then they went back to the palace for dinner and entertainment and
stayed for a month before they decided to leave. Candide wanted to
get to Cunegonde.
The King told them they were foolish to leave. The mountains
surrounded the kingdom so the king ordered the constructors to
make a machine to get them to the other side of the mountains. They
asked for some of the stones and dirt of the kingdom to take with
them along with 20 sheep, precious stones, diamonds
They thought they now had enough to pay for Cunegonde from the
governor of Buenos-Ayres to let her go
Chapter 19
 What happened to them at Surinam and how Candide
became acquainted with Martin
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The journey started out good, Candide carved the name of Cunegonde in every
tree he came to
They then started to lose the sheep because of fatigue until they only had 2 sheep
left
Candide said to Cacambo that the riches of the world are perishable, but he
would be happy to see Cunegonde again. They thought they were at the end of
their troubles and at the beginning of their happiness
When they got to the city, there was a Negro with his left leg and right hand gone
He was a slave and worked in the sugarhouses. Custom was that if one finger got
caught in the mill, they cut off their hand and if the tried to run away, they cut off
one of their legs
The dogs, monkeys and parrots were better off than the slaves
They entered Surinam sad, thinking about the cruelty and that it was ridiculous
to think that everything is right, when it really is wrong
Chapter 19 Cont
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They went to see if there was a ship in the harbor going to Buenos-Ayres
The Spanish commander agreed to meet them at the inn with their 2 sheep
Candide told the Spaniard his adventures and about Cunegonde. Candide
learned that Cunegonde was the governor’s favorite mistress and Candide was
sad
Candide asked Cacambo to go to the governor and pay him for Cunegonde,
Candide would go to Venice and wait there for him and Cunegonde
He made arrangements to go to Venice and the master of the vessel and made
him pay and pay, then the sheep were put on the vessel and were stolen with the
riches
Candide finally got on a French ship. He remembered the old woman telling him
that there was not a single person on the ship that had not experienced some
terrible misfortune.
He thought of Pangloss on every adventure and that “if everything is ordered for
the best, it must be at Eldorado, but nowhere else on earth”
He hired Martin, a poor scholar, who would amuse him during the voyage
Chapter 19 Cont.
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The Spanish commander agreed to meet them at the inn with their 2 sheep
Candide told the Spaniard his adventures and about Cunegonde. Candide
learned that Cunegonde was the governor’s favorite mistress and Candide
was sad
Candide asked Cacambo to go to the governor and pay him for Cunegonde,
Candide would go to Venice and wait there for him and Cunegonde
He made arrangements to go to Venice and the master of the vessel and
made him pay and pay, then the sheep were put on the vessel and were
stolen with the riches
Candide finally got on a French ship. He remembered the old woman telling
him that there was not a single person on the ship that had not experienced
some terrible misfortune.
He thought of Pangloss on every adventure and that “if everything is ordered
for the best, it must be at Eldorado, but nowhere else on earth”
He hired Martin, a poor scholar, who would amuse him during the voyage
Chapter 20
 What happened to Candide and Martin at Sea
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Together Candide and Martin went on a ship to Bordeaux
He asked Martin about his opinion on physical and moral evil
Martin told him that the clerics had accused him of being Socinian, but he was a
Manichean even though there are no Manicheans left in the world
Martin said that the world is bad
Candide said that there is good in the world
They heard a cannon and saw 2 vessels engaged in battle
Candide then saw saw one of his red sheep in the water and they joyfully
recovered it
The immense riches that had been stolen from Candide were now buried in the
sea and Candide thought that they were punished for stealing from him
Candide thought that since he had found the sheep, he would recover Cunegonde
also
Chapter 21
 Candide and Martin draw near to the Coast of
France and continue to discuss
Martin and Candide discuss people of France,
Holland and what the people are like there, some
good and some bad
 Candide says he doesn’t care to see France, he just wants
Cunegonde and will wait for her in Venice
 Martin says that in France strangers are welcome if they have a
good deal of money and Martin will stay with Candide
 They disputed about mankind – the good and the bad and then
arrived at Bordeaux
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Chapter 22
 What happened in France to Candide and
Martin
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They went to Paris where Candide got sick and was taken care
of well because he was not poor
As Candide got sicker, the town clerk came and billed him for a
funeral but Martin was going to throw the clerk out of the
window for being troublesome
Candide and Martin were taken to the playhouse theatre
Chapter 23
 Candide and Martin go to the English Coast and what
they saw there
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Candide and Martin are on a Dutch ship arriving at Portsmouth
There were many people on shore looking at a man kneeling with his
eyes bandaged on the deck of a ship of war, 4 soldiers shot him in the
head
The man shot was the admiral of the ship and was killed because he did
not kill enough men himself. He was found guilty of not being near
enough to the French admiral he attacked. In this country every now
and then an admiral is killed to make the rest fight better.
Candide was shocked and would not set foot on shore, he wanted to go
directly to Venice
When they got to Venice, Candide knew he would see Cunegonde.
“Everything is right, everything goes well; everything is the
best that it can possibly be.”
Chapter 24
 Concerning Paquetta and Girofflee
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In Venice, Candide searched for Cacambo but could not find
him
He thought she was dead, he told Martin that he was right – all
is illusion and misery here
Martin advised Candide to forget about Cunegonde and
Cacambo
When they saw a young girl with a young guard who were
happy, Candide believed they were happy and Martin said they
were not.
They invited them to dinner and the girl told Candide that she
was Paquetta
Chapter 24 Cont.
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Paquetta knew of all the disasters that had happened to the family of
my Lady the Baroness and Cunegonde. The Baron had kicked
Paquetta out of the castle after Candide had been kicked out
She told them of her horrible life after leaving the castle and Martin
told Candide that he was right – she had been very unhappy
Girofflee, the guard, told of being forced to be a guard by his parents
when he was 15 years old
After hearing his story, Martin told Candide he had won the bet,
neither of them was happy
Candide wants to find Cunegonde again and Martin says that he
hopes that Cunegonde will make Candide happy one day, but he
questions that happening.
Candide wants to visit Seignior Pococurante
Chapter 25
 The visit to Seignior Pococurante, the noble
Venetian
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Candide and Martin went in a gondola to have dinner and visit the
beautiful palace of Pococurante
Pococurante was tired of everything that he had and very negative
Candide just wants to be happy to see Cunegonde again and Martin
said that “it is always best to hope”
Cacambo was still not found and Candide was in grief
Paquetta and Girofflee did not come to thank him, but Candide
didn’t notice
Chapter 26
 Of Candide and Martin Supping with six
strangers, and who they were
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Candide and Martin were going to eat when Cacambo came to him
and told Candide that Cunegonde was in Constantinople. They
would go to her after supper. Cacambo was a slave
Candide was full of joy and grief, sat down to supper with Martin and
6 strangers
Cacambo told Candide that the ship was ready and all the guests
stared at each other. Candide and Martin thought this was a
masquerade of the carnival but the 6 strangers were all dethroned
kings
The 6 asked Candide if he was a king and he said no and that he had
no desire to be one
Candide wanted to go to Constantinople to find Cunegonde
Chapter 27
 Candide’s voyage to Constatntinople
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Cacambo got Martin and Candide on the ship to
Constantinople
Candide said again that all things are for the best, he was going
to see Conegonde
Candide asked Cacambo if Cunegonde was still beauty and if
she loved Candide
Cacambo tells that Cunegonde washes dishes on the banks of
the Propontis, she is a slave. He tells him that she has lost all
of her beauty and is now ugly
Candide says that it is his duty to still love her, he has
diamonds that he can purchase Cunegonde
Chapter 27 Cont.
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2 slaves rowing the boat resembled Pangloss and the Baron
When Candide said the names of Pangloss and the Baron, the
slaves were petrified. They really were Pangloss and the Baron
Candide would pay the Levant captain for Pangloss and the
Baron
But first he wanted to get to Cunegonde, he wanted to know
how they both were still alive
Candide paid ransom for Baron and Pangloss and then went to
find Cunegonde
Chapter 28
 What happened to Candide, Cunegonde,
Pangloss, Martin
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Candide asked the Baron to pardon him for trying to kill him
with his sword
The Baron told about after he was cured, he was taken by
Spaniards and put in prison in Buenos-Ayres, he wanted to
return to Europe
Candide asked Pangloss how he could be alive when he saw
him hanged
Pangloss said that it had been raining and it was a violent
storm. The cord had been wet and he had been able to breath
Chapter 28 Cont.
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After they hung him a surgeon bought his body and took him
to his home and he began to cut him to dissect him when he
was alive. When he screamed the surgeon was scared and ran
away
Then he was healed and went to Constantinople
He was sent to the galleys and met the Baron there
Candide asked Pangloss if going through all of the bad things
he still thought that things in the world were all for the
best? Pangloss said yes, it was still his opinion
Chapter 29
 How Candide found Cunegonde and the old
woman again
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They found Cunegonde and the old woman and Candide
ransomed them both
Cunegonde did not know she had become ugly
The Baron still did not want Candide and Cunegonde to be
married
Chapter 30
 Conclusion
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Candide did not want to marry Cunegonde
Pangloss proved that the Baron had no right over Cunegonde, his
sister
Candide had been cheated by the Jews and all he had left was his
small farm
Candide had been cheated by the Jews
The old woman was sick
Cacambo worked in the garden and was worn out from labor
Martin thought that all was equally bad throughout
Candide, Martin and Pangloss disputed about metaphysics and
ethics
There was a catastrophe at Constantinople where many of their
friends were killed
Chapter 30 Cont.
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The Turk said to Candide that the 3 greatest evils were
tiresomeness, vice and want
Pangloss said that people are supposed to work
Cunegonde became an excellent pastry cook, Paquetta
embroidered, the old woman took care of the linen
Girofflee became a carpenter and a very honest man
Pangloss still said “All the events in this best of possible
worlds are admirably connected. If a single link in the great
chain were omitted, the harmony of the entire universe would
be destroyed.”
Pangloss said that if everything had not happened to Candide
before, they would not be there today