Candide vs Pride and Prejudice
Candide vs Pride and PrejudiceHappiness
The definitions of happiness belies both
books Candide and Pride and Prejudice. But
they have different meanings and are in
different context. I will pick two passages, one
from each book and try to analyze them.
In Candide, to define happiness, I have
chosen p. 119. on the last chapter. The kingly
mufti, explains his happiness is because of
the “dome” that is built around himself and his
family. It actually seems that since this
environment that he has created seems to put
himself in this kingly position. He only worries
about his crops on his twenty acres of land
and his children. His illustration seems to
give me the impression of a bio dome,
something that has a great environment and
is controlled. I think itÕs a question of space
that the man explaining. “…I never pay any
attention to what goes on in Constantinople. I
content myself with sending the fruits of my
garden there to be sold.” He doesnÕt have too
much and yet he has enough. He also
explains the subject of high position, which is
quiet humorous because he names about
twenty high positioned people and they were
all assassinated. I think the end
result was that the philosopher thought too
much, even though
this was what truly was the philosopherÕs job.
It seems that Candide and the others realized
that the answers to the best life was to just go
about their daily live and do their daily chores.
“LetÕs work without theorizing” said Martin “itÕs
the only way to make life bearable.”
Throughout the book of Pride and Prejudice
Mrs. Bennets only worries were the marring of
her daughters, all five of them. She felt that
since she had five daughters she had five
times the stress. She obviously does not
believe in marrying for love, but only for social
positioning. She wanted to reach a higher
class by having her daughters marry a rich
man. At the end of this book on pp.254 and
255, Elizabeth speaks with both parents. Mr.
Bennet feel the opposite of Mrs. Bennet, he
cares about her favorite daughter and asks
her if she really wants to marry Mr. Darcy. He
cares about her future whether or not
Elizabeth will be miserable or in grief. But he
does give his consent.
On the other hand Mrs. Bennet is ecstatic of
her three son in laws. Happiness to her is the
“pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you
will have!” The way Austin portrays Mrs.
Bennet seems so evil and conniving. She
doesnÕt care for her daughters feeling at all.
She is happy because of the fortune that she
will have.
I have tried to explain the definitions of
happiness in the two contexts of the two
books, Candide and Pride and Prejudice. I
feel that happiness is a definition that
changes from person to person. One person
may be happy with one thing and yet the other
may not. I feel this is also the same with the
intangible things of life.
Works Cited:
Voltaire, Trans. Bair, Lowell, Candide Bantam,
1959
Austen, Jane Pride and Prejudice Dover, 1995