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Candide · Character

Candide

A guileless young man kicked out of his baronial paradise for loving Cunégonde, he trusts Pangloss's creed that all is for the best while the world clubs him senseless.

major

Also known as little Candide, young Candide, honest Candide, Captain Candide, Mr. Candide

First appearance: Candide

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In Candide: The protagonist, a naive and optimistic young man who undergoes a series of horrific adventures, gradually losing his optimism…

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Character Web

22 connections

A slice of how Candide sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

CUCunégondePAPanglossCACacamboTOThe Old WomanTBThe Baron of T…CACandide

Relationship types

  • Romantic
  • Psychological
  • Friendship
  • Other

Character groups

  • Protagonist
  • Candide's core companions

+17 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

SetupEscalationAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

In this scene, Candide reaches his emotional and psychological peak of disillusionment when he encounters Poco…

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Relationships

Relationship notes

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In the story

Candide appears across 31 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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