Group+2+E

Literary Devices in //Candide// - Why? To Create Satire!

Identify the following literary devices in Candide: allusion, hyperbole, irony, parody, oxymoron, understatement, juxtaposition (See the Candide page for definitions and examples of the devices.)

Your group needs **TWO examples PER PERSON** from your assigned section.


 * Literary Device**: Hyperbole
 * Text**: "'Alas,' said the other, 'love is its name:love, consoler of humankind, preserver of the universe, soul of all sentiment beings, week love.' - 'Alas,' said Candide, 'I too have known this thing called love, this ruler of hearts, this soul of our soul; it has never earned me more than one kiss and twenty kicks on the arse.'" (Voltaire 11)
 * Context**: Pangloss and Candide are both describing the love.
 * Explanation of literary device**: It is Hyperbole because they are exaggerating the power of love.
 * What is Voltaire satirizing by the use of this device?** Voltaire is satirizing the love and how great it is and what it brings to people.
 * Contributor**: Alex Kim


 * Literary Device**: Hyperbole
 * Text**: "Cunegonde raised her eyes to heaven" (Voltaire 18)
 * Context**: After Candide told what happened to Pangloss and Anabaptist, Cunegonde wept.
 * Explanation of literary device**: Voltaire exaggerated Cunegonde's sadness for Pangloss and Anabaptist's death.
 * What is Voltaire satirizing by the use of this device?** Voltaire is satirizing the actions of people when they hear the deaths of people.
 * Contributor**: Alex Kim


 * Literary Device**: Irony
 * Text**: " Cacambo's master then spoke up and said gravely in Italian: ' I am no joker, and my name is Achmed III; for several years I was Grand Sultan; I deposed my brother; my nephew deposed me, my viziers had their throats cut; ...................................... I once sat on a throne, but then for a long time slept on straw in a London prison. " (Voltaire 26)
 * Context**: Six former kings are talking about their life as a king.
 * Explanation of literary device**: It is irony as the term "king" is supposed to be a person of great power and respect, but the passage only talks about the bad deeds the kings have done and bad situations they have been going through.
 * What is Voltaire satirizing by the use of this device?** Voltaire is satirizing not only kings, but also people in power who needed unfair ways to get their power.
 * Contributor**: Eric Park


 * Literary Device**: Irony
 * Text**: " If I return to my own country, I will find Bulgars and Abars cutting everyone's throats; if I return to Portugal I will be burned at the stake; and if we stay stay in these parts we may end up on a spit at any moment. And how could I bring myself to leave that part of the world containing Mademoiselle Cunégonde? " (Voltaire 27)
 * Context**: Candide complains to Cacambo about having nowhere to go.
 * Explanation of literary device**: This is another ironic passage because when Candide complains about being in the risk of getting killed wherever he goes, he finishes his complaints about not wanting to leave the same land his lover is living in. This passage is quite ironic as Candide should be caring about his life, but is actually thinking about his lover.
 * What is Voltaire satirizing by the use of this device?** I think he's satirizing love, especially love at dangerous times.
 * Contributor**: Eric Park