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Topic: In the end, Cunegonde marries her true love and believes she is still beautiful. Does she get to have a happy ending?

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lenamathis

In the end, Cunegonde marries her true love and believes she is still beautiful. Does she get to have a happy ending?

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Her ending is ostensibly as "happy" as everyone else's on their little commune. In the best of possible worlds, Voltaire's ending might seem a bit, well, cynical. However, when youth and beauty fade, what's the best one can hope for? When the world has used you to an exent that you're used up, where do you go? Candide made a promise to Cunégonde, and he honors that promise at the end. However, like many relationships in real life, their love fades due to the circumstances, going from young and passionate to staid and Platonic. 

Her ending is one of temporary peace and knowledge of the fact that she is valuable and desired in her community. This is the same situation that Candide finds himself in: away from the jealous and greedy world, tending their garden, and with that what's left of their time in the world.

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