Case study:
‘Candide'means pure, honest and upright in its own meaning. So this book wants to tell us that the role in this book is pure. For this character, it is easier to satire the society.
At the beginning, Candide was only a servant in the Baron's house, but he falls in love with the Miss Cunegund. He wanted to marry with her, because of her beauty. At the end, Cunegund became ugly. In fact, Candide didn't want to marry with her anymore, but her brother's arbitrary made him angry. So, Candide punished the Baron, then married with Cunegund. These two events showed Candide was not only a pure and weak people, but also had the traitorous character. The Baron represented the decline of the aristocracy and aristocracy class. Candide punished the Baron is the challenge of the aristocracy. Today, it is still not change. People like good things and dislike bad things. For example: when a woman is very beautiful, many men will love her. If one day this woman becomes ugly, these men will change their choice. This is the ugly side of human nature. Also, many people who are on the top position of others will look down others. This is also doesn't change, because this is the character of the human nature.
What aspects of our thought and behavior might he satirize most fiercely? Obviously, there are greed and selfish. In the novel, there are a lot of bad persons in order to get the money from Candide, then attack or harm him. For example, Anabaptist saved the sailor, but the sailor didn't save him. This is the selfish character in every person. When you got in trouble, you want others come to help you. But when you see other people are in trouble, you will consider that it is not your business. When Candide wanted to rent a boat after leaving the Gold Country, the boatman increased the price for several times. But he was still greedy, he took all money away alone at the end. These two behaviors are not change until today, people are still greedy and selfish.
"Pangloss stated that "everything is for the best" and there is "the best of both possible worlds." This blind optimism is negated time after time through the misfortunes that Candide and the rest of the story's characters experience, yet the characters press on with their hopelessly positive attitudes throughout their lives." (Dimattia, Devin, "Does Volataire's Candide connect to Modern Society?" page 1) Candide got beaten and whipped, loses his teacher Pangloss and his benefactor Anabaptistand suffers numerous other misfortunes. Finally, he found out that everything he believed were wrong.But he found the best thing is "Enough". A small garden can bring him a lot of sense of satisfaction.
Question 1: In what ways does Voltaire's satire apply to modern society? For example, what would Voltaire think of the human condition today? What aspects of our thought and behavior might he satirize most fiercely? What kinds of political, philosophical, and religious hypocrisy are most prevalent today?
Case study:
Eloise is the first wife of Charles Bovary. She is ugly, considers herself always right and has the bad temper. The second wife is Emma, She's beautiful, cute, pure, and on the outside seems like a very good wife. But actually she is a jezebel and a spendthrift.The third important woman is Charles's mom, she is a typically housewife. She loves her son, and always gives him the good choice that she thinks. She wants Charles will be a fame person then Charles will treat her very well.These women are the typically 19th century women, they are prim and idealized. Their thoughts, feelings and desires are selfish.
Charles's mom is a good mom, she loves her son and give him the best as possible as she can. She will envy Emma, because she thinks that Emma will monopolize her son, she worry that she will not gain anything from Charles. Emma is not a good mom, she leave their child to wet nurse and even does not have time to see her. She just considers herself always right, never worry about her child. Because her child is female, she wants to get a son. If she gets a son, all things will be different, she will transfer her wish on her son.
For women, Flaubert describes three points I think. First, consider about their mind and power. Second, they want to get the equal treatment as the men. Third, they always transfer their wish in other ways. Emma commits adultery with other men, she spends money freely and always think about her dreamy life. Eloise wants to control Charles in every ways, include the money and his communication. Emma wants to get a romantic love, live in a dreamy life and has a lot of money. But all of these do not come true after married with Charles. So she wants to get these on others, like Rodolphe and Lon Dupuis. At the end, she even wants to put all her dreams on her child if she gets a son. But she gets a daughter, she showed do not mind of her child.
Question 2: What is the role of women in Madame Bovary? How are mothers represented? What might their portrayal say about Flaubert's view of women in general?