In almost every
individual’s life, there are ups and downs.
Some of the experiences that one has may in fact
count as learning experiences in spite of the
negative outlook that they may present. However,
experiences with apparently negative effects may
well be experiences that are in fact negative
in nature, and are ones that act as impediments
to one’s progress. However, it is one’s
willingness to explore and go beyond constraints
that can result in greater adventure and learning
experiences, as suggested by Voltaire in his famous
work called ‘Candid’.
Similar to being locked in situations that are
negative is living in a situation that makes one
feel locked with no way of escaping. Such a situation
could lead any one to explore their lives further
or even search for outlets; in extreme cases,
searching for an outlet, one could develop destructive
intentions and even turn suicidal. Such intentions
and notions are explicitly expressed in Baudelaire's
view of philosophical boredom.
In Baudelaire's view, it is apparent that boredom
plays a significant role in transforming a person’s
individuality, and indeed one’s personality
as well. For an individual who is caught up in
a situation that allows him or her no room for
more exploration a feeling of suffocation takes
over them.
When an individual has no outlet and has seen
all that there is to see, and has experienced
all that there is to experience, s/he needs newer
interests. It is when one cannot find newer interests
or interests that a person finds are not absorbing
enough, s/he turns dangerously bored (Zalloua,
2004). The adverb ‘dangerously’ is
used here in order to amplify how turning bored
can negatively impact one’s life and other
individuals around him or her. According to Baudelaire's
view of turning bored being a dangerous situation,
one is convinced that an individual in such a
frame of mind can be self-destructive (Zalloua,
2004). This is an attitude that has been demonstrated
by people at several points in history. It must
however also be mentioned that this boredom has
in fact been masked by other apparent forms of
ailments that have led people to develop suicidal
notions.
In addition to individuals developing suicidal
notions, it has also been witnessed that people
who are bored generally develop careless mentalities.
They don’t care about others, and are willing
to go to any lengths in order to engulf their
boredom (Õnnepalu, 2003). As opposed to
this thought, it might be considered that individuals
may also be driven to any length in order to achieve
what they desperately desire.
This is highlighted by the fact that revolutions,
wars and other fierce conflicts have taken place
through such approaches. However, it must again
be observed that it is the element of desperation
that stimulates one’s need to go to extremes
(Õnnepalu, 2003). Therefore, in shorter
terms it may be said that if one feels there is
a chance of changing things for the better through
a suicidal mission or a high-risk approach, s/he
will go for it.
In view of this, Baudelaire’s view of boredom
asserts that evil can be a result of boredom,
and this comes close to the idea of an idle mind
being the workshop of the devil. In contrast to
this notion with bearing some similarity is Voltaire’s
pessimistic notions in ‘Candide’.
Voltaire holds that when loses everything s/he
has time to search and explore newer horizons.
These horizons may be good or bad or may even
have a mixture of the two. Voltaire’s ‘Candide’
is a story about how an individual moves on to
discovery and self-discovery when everything s/he
loves has been snatched away. This is precisely
what happens to Candide when time and situations
turn Candide from an innocent person into a practical
man (Voltaire, 1990, 96-98).
After traveling and working hard, Candide manages
to buy a piece of land on which he Cunégonde,
Martin, Pangloss, Paguette and Girofle live. It
is here that they finally settle and realize that
it is only their hard work on which they should
depend. In this way, they will be able to live
peaceful lives with no one to interfere in what
they want to do. Having faced tough periods a
degree of optimism sets into him.
Though Voltaire helps the reader explore the
depths of pessimism through the difficulties a
human being experiences, it is evident that there
are also opportunities in one’s life. In
contrast to Voltaire being satisfied with his
new found peace, is Martin’s insistence
regarding man’s evil. Martin is the other
side of the coin; he believes that man is evil,
and that life itself is full of confusion and
quarrelling. However, Voltaire is the nullifying
factor in this story because of his optimism (Voltaire,
1990, 96-98).
After living tough lives and facing hard times,
Candide, Cunégonde, Martin, Pangloss, Paguette,
and Girofle realize that hard work and an independent
living is the way to live peacefully. Primarily,
this is what gives one satisfaction. They all
have experienced the harshness of life and so
have a very practical approach to life. The protagonist,
Candide, is observed to have undergone the most
changes. He was an innocent man, but with worldly
exposure has grown wise and practical. Aside from
this, he has not forgotten his love for Cunégonde,
and in spite of all opposition and lack of desire
for her, he marries her (Voltaire, 1990, 96-98).
It is through his experiences, that Candide
becomes a practical man. Taking all his down sides
as learning experiences, he manages to remain
satisfied. This is opposed to any pessimistic
notion Candide might have had of his life, as
he had managed to get through all disappointments
and establish something small that he could call
his own. By achieving whatever little he had,
Voltaire’s optimism is believed to nullify
Martin’s pessimism on the insistence of
human evil and futility of human life.
Finally, it is worth asserting that Martin’s
view of life is in sync with Baudelaire's view
of boredom, and this is because both these views
speak of chaos, confusion, destruction, etc. as
end results of human action.
Works Cited:
Culler, J. `Introduction' in Charles Baudelaire:
The Flowers of Evil (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1993) xiii-xlviii
Õnnepalu, Tõnu. Freedom as a Border
State of Mind. Lecture at the University of Washington,
Seattle, April 10, 2003
Voltaire, Francois M. Candide (Penguin Classics)
Penguin Books, pp 96-98. 1990.
Zalloua, Zahi. Baudelaire and the Ethics of Demystification,
Accessed on 11-05-2004.
|