Candide's Intentions

Candide’s journey, as told by Voltaire, is not one without curious occurrences. In particular, Voltaire encrypts subliminal and ubiquitous clues designed to send a deeper message than what is meant literally. One of such messages occurs when Candide and his mentor, Dr. Pangloss, are readied for death. Their execution is caused by “one for speaking and the other for listening with an air of approval” (36).

It was believed at the time that “the sight of a few people ceremoniously burned alive over a slow fire was an infallible prescription for preventing earthquakes” (36). Candide’s ignorant personality is befitting for this ignorant attempt to well-being. What is interesting about the ceremony is the variation in attire which both people are given: “The decorations on Candide’s mitre and cassock were penitential in character, inverted flames and devils without tails or claws; but Pangloss’s devils had tails and claws, and his flames were upright” (36). We can infer from these differences in dressing that both mentor and pupil are being punished for different things. Dr. Pangloss, who is a lucid and knowledgeable person, is directly responsible for every one of his actions, while Candide’s actions are like those of a child: mostly unwittingly affecting others. Furthermore, Candide’s actions are almost never to the expectation of others. He is as spontaneous as can be. This is probably the reason why his robe is decorated with an opposite fate than that of his master. He will probably be punished for his actions in hell, as the people of the time believe, but should he be punished if his intentions are noble? The question we must ask ourselves is the following: Should we be equally punished for our actions than for our intentions?