Candide and Voltaire Approaches to Literature COMEDIC TECHNIQUES

Candide and Voltaire Approaches to Literature

COMEDIC TECHNIQUES: EXAGGERATION (hyperbole) UNDERSTATEMENT —“sweating to death --“It’s a bit wet out there. ”

COMEDIC TECHNIQUES: WARPED LOGIC IMPROBABLE SITUATIONS Harlan is funny. Harlan is a man. Men are funny. --“equipping a submarine with a screen door”

satire • a work that ridicules human foibles, vices and follies… • that creates absurdity, challenges beliefs… • GOAL: to improve human society inspire remodeling (raising), not razing

Candide • A picaresque novel… series of self-contained episodes with a plot and climax adventures and exotic travel set in motion by an incident beyond the character’s control like beads on a necklace

Candide • technique of digression… another character relates his/her own personal narrative

FOUR APPROACHES… • Formalistic/ structural • looks at the way a piece is organized and approached— the type of discourse and literary techniques used—Candide is a satire and uses those techniques

FOUR APPROACHES… • Archetypal • looks for the universals and motifs in a work— in Candide look for the mentors he has and what each teaches him

FOUR APPROACHES… • Socio-historic • sees the implications for the historic time and social milieu during which the piece was written— here it’s the idea of a utopia

FOUR APPROACHES… • Readerresponse • asks how the piece resonates with you—your own feelings