Voltaire’s Candide: From the Other Side of Civilization

Candide is generally anti-imperialist, anti-war, and anti-colonization, although Voltaire’s perspective of nature may reaffirm the idea that state not enviable civilization —indeed luxury probably dependent on colonial economy horrors—seems preferable, happy conclusion set in an Eastern agrarian-horticultural context would be luxurious unless European relationship to “nature” are redefined garden. As well, Voltaire gave us insight as what he imagined was symmetrical doubt about humanity “other” from oddly distorted mutual at time encounters between Oreillons accompanied by Cacambo. The “natives” mate with monkeys (are mistaken for [disposable] monkeys); Cacambo prey (or harmful Jesuit animal species) feasted upon dinner.