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Analysis Of Human Nature In 'Candide' By Voltaire

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Voltaire, uses the scene in Chapter 6, to illustrate an aspect of his understanding about human nature through the suffering of Candide. During this scene, when the country men decide to offer human sacrifices to prevent future earthquakes (Voltaire 14) the author exposes the prideful and depraved aspects of unredeemed, human nature according to scripture. An example, of human pride, occurs when a few men think they can control nature, “…the wise men of the country... decided…the infallible secret of preventing earthquakes” (14). During this scene, readers encounter human pride by way of men seeing themselves as gods instead of seeking God for a solution (NIV Pr. 3: 5-6; 14:1).
In addition to pride, Voltaire illustrates his understanding about
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Through the protagonist Candide one can deduce Voltaire’s negative outlook on human nature. He believes every word that Pangloss says, in the same way that people of the day believed everything that the Church would say. At the beginning of the text he blindly worships Optimism and by the end of it he worships the Turk’s philosophy of labour. “I also know… that we must cultivate our garden” (Voltaire 99). However it does appear that Candide has gained more knowledge and wisdom and has therefore made a more informed decision.

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