The Importance Of Empiricism In Voltaire's Candide

Whether it be through systematic governmental intervention, de facto societal norms or need to abide to religious scriptures, society always possesses values that most normal members adamantly believe in. However, there are periods in history where these values are reevaluated, and the validity of the understanding that has been bestowed on the public is put up to consideration. The enlightenment was a period in history that was characterized by this strain of thought, and traditional ways of thinking were held to criticism through a variety of methods spanning from the most conceptual philosophy to empirically adherent methodological testing. In writing the novella Candide, Voltaire attempted to solidify his interpretation of the proper outlook …show more content…
An emphasis was placed on actually doing things and taking action in order to understand the world rather than blindly believing what was told. While Cacambo, presumably, did not have any formal education, he seems able to adapt to life situations quite well. This may be surprising to some because one can see that Candide was educated the way a young noble boy in a Germanic kingdom would be, and repeatedly shows that he is unable to deal with situations in the most effective way in his life. Cacambo’s practical and empirical nature is first exposed in his introduction where Voltaire explains, “He had successively gone through the profession of a singing boy, sexton, sailor, monk, peddler, soldier, and lackey. “ (Voltaire, 32). He uses this, not only to to introduce the utilitarian air Cacambo possesses, but also to illustrate that Cacambo possesses skills that are useful in the real world. This serves as a contrast to the other two characters we see Candide involved with, Pangloss and Martin, who both possess little more than the ability to see the world though their philosophical lens. Directly after the introduction, Voltaire writes, “He immediately saddled the two Andalusian horses” (32). Once again, this supports the idea that he will use Cacambo as a channel for the decisive and pragmatic characteristics that were valued heavily in the enlightenment era. Perhaps the epitome of Cacambo’s gumption is seen when he explains to Candide “…you have killed the lovers of these two ladies,” after he shoots the two monkeys (38). This exchange can be seen as a testament to Cacambo’s well-traveled and logical nature. He uses logic, albeit flawed, to understand the behavior being displayed as he states “They are the fourth part of a man as I am the fourth part of a Spaniard.”