Death and near-death experiences are pervasive in Candide. However, for nearly every death, there is also a resurrection. Like almost everything else in Candide, Voltaire parodies death by frequently coupling death with resurrection.
Questions About Mortality
- What is the significance of near-death experiences in Candide?
- How is death satirized in Candide? In what ways is it taken seriously?
- Check out the passage in which the Old Woman says she could never take her own life. What is the significance of this statement?
- What do the deaths and resurrections of characters in Candide suggest? Do they act as symbols for particular philosophies?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The frequent resurrections in Candide mock the idea of growth and progression over time. Despite apparent changes, everyone ends up right back where they started.