So These Happy Men Decided to Be Happy No Longer ---- Candide

In chapters 16 -20 of Candide, we find Pangloss’ so-called perfect World, but it is not the whole World but just a minimal portion of Earth. This place is Eldorado, the famous city f gold from American lore. In his novel, Voltaire makes it the Utopia for the 18th century Man of Reason, where everything is guided by reason and logic, not religion or other frivolities. In this remote and isolated place, all basic needs are taken care of by the government, like food and education. Here we also see what every Man of Reason desired, and that was to be rid of materialistic desires. By placing gold, emeralds and rubies at such easy access, Eldorado makes them simple natural goods, resources with which to build your home or eat your food.

They walked over to a modest little house, and went in. The door was mere
silver, and the rooms were paneled by nothing better than gold; but the
worksmanship was in such good state as to vie with the richest paneling. It is
true that the hall was incrusted only with rubies and emeralds, but everything
was so well designed as to compensate for this extreme simplicity. (pg 78)

Voltaire mocks materialistic humankind by down-playing the seemingly important aspects of the home, its gold and silver construction and its precious stone finish. In the same excerpt he hails simple things like the craftsmanship and design of the house to further show the reader what truly should matter to a Man of Reason. He also lavishly exaggerates the apparently “modest” house to make the reader wonder how the higher class houses must be like. Voltaire is mocking the reader’s materialism by showing it as one of the least important aspects of life. Later on, when Candide meets the King we are shown how true power should be: “The custom is,’ said the lord-in-waiting, ‘to embrace the King and kiss him on both cheeks. (pg 81)” A King of men should be humble and friendly to all, for example by showing kindness and equality by hugging his subjects and guests. Voltaire satirizes the show-me-I’m-better actions of European Kings who demand submission by his subjects and the utmost proofs of inferiority from others. In reality Kings should be wise enough to demonstrate their power through kindness and mutual respect.

Later on in the visit to Eldorado, Voltaire shows us how, even when given everything they ever ask for, men always desire more and bend down to their greedy selves. “They were both anxious, also, to show their friends how rich they had grown and to boast about what they had seen in their travels. (pg 83)” Candide and Cacambo have everything they could ever desire: food, wealth, friendship and liberty to think as their mind so desires. Still, the two westerners wish more, they seek the approval of society and they want to show superiority. This desire to be better than the other is what makes humankind different from the people at Eldorado who lack this urge. Voltaire follows this passage with “So these happy men decided to be happy no longer and to take leave of His Majesty. (pg 83)” Materialism and greed will never bring happiness to a man as he will always desire more, and even if he gets everything he needs a man will never be satisfied. This reminded me of a quote I once heard which said, “A man always wishes to be as happy as his neighbor and this is impossible for his neighbor is never as happy as he appears.” Men in our society are apparently doomed to live a life of ambition and desire for more.

Voltaire also attacks religion in his description of utopia, “Do you say you have no monks teaching and disputing, governing and intriguing, and having people burned if they don’t subscribe to their opinions? (pg 80)” Voltaire attacks the ridiculous tasks religion has appointed itself to. The Pope should not govern and teach or burn others, the churches only purpose should be to thank God as the people of Eldorado do to their God They simply thank him for what they have been given and use Reason for everything else. When Candide asked what religion they practiced, the Inca philosopher responded: “Can there be two religions, then?’ said he. ‘I have always believed that we hold the religion of all mankind. (pg 79)” Voltaire is showing how foolish it is to fight over religion. We are all humans and we all come from the same origin so we must all come from the same god. If this is true why do we fight about its name be it Jesus, Allah, or Buddha? In Eldorado, by the use of Reason they have realized this and do not fight about religion as it is such a simple matter. Voltaire uses the Utopia to satirize the apparent complexity humans give religion and how, if we used reason for religion as we do science, many of the world’s problems would be solved.