Voltaire's Satirical Viewpoint On Religion

Voltaire’s Satirical Viewpoint on Religion The novella Candide by Voltaire explores the flaws of religion through the use of elements of satire like irony, euphemism, sarcasm and understatement thereby highlighting the idea of practicing what one preaches. Throughout the lapse of the book, its is clear Voltaire does not attempt to indict one specific religion but rather portray various religions’ hypocrisy. First, Voltaire utilizes irony to criticize a Protestant minister who denounces Candide after learning he does not share his same beliefs. After Candide escapes the Bulgars, he encounters a minister who was preaching his word to a large crowd. When Candide disregards the minister’s beliefs, he soon addresses him as a “villain” and “wretch”, warning him to not “come near [him] again or [ Candide will] suffer for it” (Voltaire 27). The minister’s wife, with the same resentment, proceeded to pour human feces over Candide in response. What is ironic

When Candide and Martin arrive at Venice, they make a deal where Candide must find just one person who has not suffered. Candide, of course, looks towards a monk as his key to triumph. Candide attempts to confirm his suspicion that the monk lives a well and lucky life yet fails once he hears the monk’s response. In actuality, the monk was forced to be in the position he is and has regretted it ever since. He assures Candide that arriving at the monastery after each day has made him “feel inclined to break [his] head against the dormitory walls” as well as “all [his] brother monks” who “feel the exact same way” (Voltaire 116). Although his practice is meant to bring him peace and serenity, it appears to do all but that. In fact, his religion is meant to promote happiness yet he himself feels the opposite. This kind of irony highlights the point that, at times, religions hold deceit even within their own