Exploitation of Women in "Candide" Research Paper

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That the story is real and that we can learn from it becomes an extremely important aspect. Improvement begins with realization.

The old woman reveals one of the most horrific tales in the story. Chapter 11 reveals some of the most heinous treatment of women. The old woman recounts a tale of being taken to Morocco and sold as slaves. On the ship to Morocco, she tells of how she was raped by Prince of Masa Carrara, a "abominable Nergo who yet thought he was doing me much honor" (37). She wraps up her rape story by saying "these things are so common that they are not worth speaking of" (37). Things were not better in Morocco as the Europeans "fought with the fury of the lions, tigers and snakes of the country to see who should have us" (37). All the women were cut and massacred and many were killed. The following chapter includes more mistreatment, including the deceit of the eunuch. Instead of taking her to Italy, he sells her the seraglio. Here we see how money and sex are more powerful than anything. This is the chapter where she looses a buttock because of a lack of food. Women, not men, were expected to make this sacrifice and were told "heaven will be pleased with you for so charitable an action, and you will be rescued" (40). Women are seen for little more than sexual objects and this fact is brought to light in this chapter when we se women of all races, cultures, and ages treated as and valued for sex objects and slaves.

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Women are presented primarily as weaker and more helpless than men in "Candide." They are responding to their misogynistic conditions and the exploitation caused by them. Voltaire is pointing out terrible offenses; however, it should be noted that they demonstrate great longsuffering and strength and while Voltaire reveals this, he is also shining a light on the harshness of their realities. "Candide" exposes the many facets of human nature. Through satire, we can take a look at the human condition and not be so ashamed. The exploitation of women is one aspect of the human condition that emerges in Voltaire's story. Women are no doubt the weaker of the two sexes and they lose out on any fairness offered to them by being alive because of the men in the world. Men are bent on having their way with women and also bent on having their women a certain way. Thus, the satire. The old woman and Paquette represent all European women. Voltaire knew this when he wrote the story. He was not attempting to enlighten anyone with this tale but simply educate them and open a collective set of eyes on an ongoing problem that should have been dealt long ago. Certainly, it is offensive and does nothing to life women up but in his own way, he brings attention to their plight, forcing all to face it and deal with it. Women deserved the same rights as men and Voltaire was touching upon a universal truth that would soon ignite the flames of all feminists across the world.

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