Candide by Voltaire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Candide by Voltaire - Essay Example These events are highlighted in the as the author tries to depict the evil in the society. Voltaire needed to highlight that Candide’s society needed critical reforms. This paper will highlight the significance of the battlefield and the earthquake in terms of social identity. In chapter three, Voltaire describes the battlefield in Bulgars. Candide witnessed the adverse effects caused by war. He was there when two armies harmoniously arranged themselves with music that Voltaire describes, as â€Å"hell itself had never heard† (Voltaire 10). The satirical manner in which Voltaire describes the war speaks volumes about the attitudes of the society. The men in the army used cannons and bayonets to slay the people. In a few seconds, Candide witnessed over 30,000 people killed in the war. Both the kings of the armies were desperate to win the war. Therefore, they expected the soldiers to murder more people. Candide was unable to bear with the reality of the situation. He sought to move away from the battlefield and be able to reflect on both the causes and the effects of the war. He highlights that he saw many dead bodies as well as other people on the verge of death. He witnessed the desperation with which men saw their wives and children die. Even in death, women held firmly to their children. It is unfortunate that the Bulgarian heroes also raped the women. The scene was devastating and Candide had never witnessed such evil. Without a doubt, there were no justifiable reasons for the war. The two kings needed to enjoy the glory of winning a war without any noble causes. Unfortunately, the war led to the death of over 30,000 innocent people. Evidently, the society of the Bulgars needed redemption, so that they can restore peace. The society needed reforms if it were to maintain peace and avoid war (9). Candide reflection on the causes and effects of the war demonstrates that the society had to calculate the cost of the war and face the