Voltaire’s Candide

Hello to Mr. Ismawi, today I will be presenting for the World Literature assignment. The topic that I have chosen is The element of plot in Voltaire’s Candide. Without further time wasting, I’ll be presenting straight away.  

The element of plot is divided into 5 stages. The exposition, conflicts, climax, falling action and lastly the conclusion.

In the exposition stage of the Voltaire’s Candide, we are introduced to Candide, the main character of the novel who is borned and raised in the country mansion of his uncle, Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh. At the beginning of the novel, Candide is living a royal life in his aunt and uncle’s home. Dr.Pangloss, an optimistic philosopher is the tutor of Candide. Candide is also in love with the Baron’s daughter, Cunegonde.

After the exposition stage, the novel starts to get interesting with the conflicts that happens in the novel. As there is quite a lot of conflicts in the novel. I’ve decided to choose three that I feel which could be a story changer for the whole novel. For the first conflict, we can see that Candide and Cunegonde were caught kissing which leads to the banishment of Candide from his home. Candide was introduced penniless into the world of suffering and misfortunes. Having to live a royal life in the mansion, his banishment was his first challenge that he faces.

The other conflict is where Candide is conscripted into the Bulgar Army accidentally, this was the beginning of the unfortunate events. Nearly every that could worstly happen has happened; Ship wrecks, executions, earthquakes, rape and several misfortunes events befall to almost every cast of characters. Whatever minor conflict in the novel is now complicated to an unimaginable dimension as the plot starts to lose control of itself.

The last conflict that I’ve chosen is when Cunegonde’s brother, the Baron doesn’t allow Candide and Cunegonde to get married. The Baron, despite every incident that has happened, still holds on to his traditional beliefs about Candide’s ancestor and refuses to allow Cunegonde to marry Candide, who has a lower social rank.

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