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Citing the idea of free will
- Candide tries to counter Martin’s arguments by citing the idea of free will. However, free will does not solve the dilemma of the presence of evil in a world created by a perfectly good, omniscient, omnipotent Christian God.
www.sparknotes.com/lit/candide/section6/
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Candide tries to counter Martin’s arguments by citing the idea of free will. However, free will does not solve the dilemma of the presence of evil in a world created by a perfectly good, omniscient, omnipotent Christian God.
- Quick Quiz
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- Chapters 1–4
Candide’s experiences in the army and the war directly...
- Full Book Summary
Candide takes this as proof that there is justice in the...
- Character List
Martin is a cynical scholar whom Candide befriends as a...
- Context
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Candide hires Martin, a downtrodden scholar, to accompany him on his journey from Buenos Aires to France precisely because of Martin’s misfortune and pessimism. Martin embodies the polar opposite of Pangloss's and Candide’s philosophical views.
Martin acts as both foil and counterpart to Pangloss. He is more believable than the other major characters in the novel, not because he is more complex, but because he is more intelligent and more likely to draw conclusions with which we can identify.
- Summary: Chapter 24
- Summary: Chapter 25
- Summary: Chapter 26
- Analysis: Chapters 24–26
When Candide fails to find Cunégonde and Cacambo after several months in Venice, he falls into despair. He begins to agree with Martin’s claim that the world is misery. Martin scolds Candide for trusting a valet with a fortune of millions, and repeats his argument that there is “little virtue and little happiness on the earth.” On the street, Candi...
Candide visits Count Pococurante in Venice. The wealthy count has a marvelous collection of art and books, but he is unable to enjoy any of it. He finds the paintings of Raphael unpleasant and the works of Homer, Horace, and Milton tiresome. The count once pretended to appreciate these things in front of others, but is now unable to pretend, and sc...
During Venice’s Carnival season, Candide and Martin are dining with six strangers in an inn when they encounter Cacambo, who is now the slave of one of the six strangers. Cacambo explains that Cunégonde is in Constantinople and offers to bring Candide to her. Summoned by his master, he is unable to say any more. Candide and Martin converse with the...
Martin’s reaction to Candide’s despair at not finding Cunégonde reveals the drawback of his pessimism. Instead of attempting to comfort or even distract his friend and benefactor, Martin gloats over Candide’s distress to further confirm his own world-view. Like Pangloss’s unqualified optimism, Martin’s unqualified pessimism keeps him from taking ac...
Feb 27, 1999 · Candide does develop, however, and eventually passes beyond Martin's pessimism as well as Pangloss' optimism. In the end, Candide learns to stop debating philosophy and to simply live his life for better or worse.
Candide sees the battle as evidence that sin is punished, while Martin argues that you can’t see divine justice in a result that involved the loss of many innocent lives. Candide's recovery of the sheep goes along with his recovery of optimism.
Candide says Martin must be kidding him, as there are no more Manicheans left in the world. Martin claims he has spoken the truth; though he does not know what to do, he cannot think any...
