Candide
by Voltaire
Table of Contents
Chapters 6-10
Chapter 6 Summary
To protect their citizens from future earthquakes, the officials of Portugal decide
to “give the people a splendid inquisition.” They have been told that burning some
people alive at the stake is an excellent “antidote” for natural disasters. Those selected
for burning include a man who married his godmother and two men who do not eat
pork fat and are therefore presumed to be Jewish. After dinner, Candide and Pangloss
are also selected for punishment based on their heretical philosophy of optimism.
They are imprisoned and flogged; Pangloss is sentenced to death by hanging. Another
earthquake hits the city and Candide, taking account of his numerous misfortunes,
wonders, “If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the rest?” Suddenly, an old
woman appears and asks Candide to follow her.
Chapter 7 Summary
The old woman leads Candide to a ruined house, where she treats his wounds
and feeds him. After Candide has rested for a few days, the old woman leads him to an
impressive, undamaged house out in the country and leaves him in a beautiful gilded
chamber. She returns with a beautiful young woman, decked in jewels, who turns out
to be Cunegonde. The young lovers reunite tearfully, and Candide tells Cunegonde
everything that has happened to him since he was evicted from the castle.
Chapter 8 Summary
Cunegonde tells her own story to Candide. It is true that the Bulgarians killed
her parents and brother, and that Cunegonde was raped by a soldier. She was...
Sign up to continue reading Chapters 6-10 >
