Candide Group

Question:

cierraskye00
cierraskye00
Student
College - Sophomore

Was it not incest between Candide and Cunegonde?

Even though Candide was "suspected" as the Baron's sister's child, that would have still made them first cousins.  Right?  Voltaire incorporated war, rape, homosexuality, beatings, etc. into Candide to show relevence to what an evil world we live in.  I just did not understand why his possible first cousin was the treasured love of his life to the point of getting married.

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Posted by cierraskye00 on Wednesday September 17, 2008 at 5:59 PM and tagged with candide, possible incest.

Answers:

  1. mwestwood
    mwestwood Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    In Voltaire's time marrying a cousin was not considered incest, for people did not realize the genetic risks of such unions.  In "Wuthering Heights," for instance, Catherine marries Sir Edgar, her first cousin and their is no implication of incest.

    Do not forget, too, that Volaire is ever the satirist.  So, perhaps, he ridicules the custom of maintaining blood lines and the false pride taken in family heritage.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/candide/characters
    http://www.enotes.com/wuthering/overview

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    Posted by mwestwood on Tuesday September 30, 2008 at 11:32 PM

  2. corinne1988
    corinne1988 Student
    College - Sophomore

    Perhaps Voltaire added the 'close bloodlines' aspect to forshadow the difficult and sad relationship ahead. Also it makes Candide's residence in the house more credible that the baron has an obligation to his probably dead sister to care for her child.

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    Posted by corinne1988 on Thursday May 21, 2009 at 12:20 AM