Satire vs. Baroque

Recently we started reading Voltaire´s book Candide in class. This book is an example of satire since it ridicules many aspects of life especially optimism.  Irony, hyperbole, absurdity and target, the four elements of satire, are implicitly seen in the text (some of them are not easy to notice).  At first I didn’t understand what was going on in the book, since most of what is said has a double meaning. I find this book even similar to baroque, whereas the literature is so overloaded with details it becomes hard to understand. I kept reading and then it became easier. It’s like this picture, as you read you become better at understanding and even faster.

Back to the topic, satire is very similar to baroque literature because it has some of the same elements. Two of the main characteristics that baroque shares with satire, are that they include hyperboles and antithesis (which are in other words ironical statements).  Satire incorporates elements of absurdity that change the meaning of the text, while baroque literature includes details about ornamentation. This is the major point where the two styles differ but as for the rest they are very similar.

I think the most evident element of satire in Candide is the irony. It is distinct almost in every paragraph.  One example of the irony in the book is that Voltaire mocks the philosophers being a philosopher himself.  Pangloss, one of the characters in Candide, was a philosopher from Westphalia, but according to Voltaire he taught “Metaphysico-theologo-cosmologo-nigology” (pg.20). This is an example of him mocking philosophers, which usually have the stereotype of knowing everything and having many careers. Voltaire himself was a historian, writer, and philosopher which make it even more ironical. He is basically making fun of himself.

Another example of irony in the book is when Candide arrives in a village where an orator is giving a speech to the audience about charity.  Candide, who is hungry, asks for food and is denied his right to eat and is humiliated in front of the crowd.  It is ironic how the people heard this man talking for about an hour about charity and weren’t capable of helping Candide or at least him a bread or something. How hypocrite is this?

I think Voltaire uses satire to criticize things like stereotypes or the hypocrisy of people in the world. The two quotes clearly show how he is making fun of what people think a philosopher is and in the other one he is criticizing those who promise to do things like donating to charity but they never really care to take an action and do what they promise.  Why did Voltaire use satire to express the animosity he feels towards some groups of people?