Chapter 9
Seeing what he believes to be another competitor for Cunégonde's love, the Jew attacks Candide, forcing the pupil of optimism to kill him with a sword. After Issachar's death, Candide wishes that Pangloss were there to give him advice, but settles for the opinion of the old woman in his stead. Before she can give her counsel, however, the Grand Inquisitor enters for his nightly visit, forcing Candide to kill him as well. Quickly the old woman details the plan of their escape-that they will take what gold and diamonds they can lay their hands on, and then they should flee the estate on the backs of three horses.
When the Holy Brotherhood, an organization with both Church and State powers, enters the household to bury their holy Inquisitor and fling Issachar onto a dunghill, the three fugitives are gone.
In this chapter, Voltaire obviously continues his onslaught of criticism for the Catholic Church, showing the Inquisitor to be nothing more than a worldly womanizer. He also stereotypes Don Issachar, portraying him as a greedy, selfish money-grubber who hopes to buy himself earthly happiness.
Chapter 10
Having left an inn where they had stayed the day before, the trio soon realizes that a Franciscan friar, who was also at the inn, must have stolen their gold and diamonds. To overcome the loss, the old woman suggests, and the others agree, that they should sell one of the horses.
Eventually they reach Cadiz, a city on the Atlantic coast. When Candide demonstrates the sign of the Bulgar army, he is made a captain of sorts as he, Cunégonde and the old woman begin their journey to South America. Candide, obviously still influenced by the optimistic philosophy of his youth, comes to rest on the idea that the New World will be the "best of all worlds."
Yet soon, both Candide and Cunégonde realize that the trials and tribulations of their own lives are not unique or unusual at all when the old woman tells them that their horrors pale in comparison to hers. She then launches into a lengthy story of her life's misfortunes, making continued allusions to a missing portion of her rear end.
Our Networks