Idea and Satire Techniques.

Jeremy Cavanna.

Idea:
I think that Voltaire included this chapter to introduce the old womans story. It gives us an idea of the characters shown Cunagonde. It is a sad but interesting story that Voltaire is telling us, he maybe wants us to look at the story from candide's point of view, taking in count candide's belief referring to Pangloss theory (everything is for the best, perfect eutopia). In conclusion, this chapter was made to introduce the old womans story to us by going back into her past.

Satire:
''My nose did not always touch my chin'' (page 26, top) This is clearly an overstatement to describe her uglyness, seems impossible that someones nose can touch his own chin! ''Our men fought like soldiers of the Pope--- that is, they flung themselves on their knees, laid down their arms and begged the corsair to gvie them absolution in Acticulo Mortis''(page 27, middle). Is Voltaire trying to make fun of the Pope? We would first think that the begining of the sentence 'Fought like soldiers of the Pope' would make them polivalent, strong and couragous soldiers, but the ending of the sentence indicates that they were weak and afraid. Voltaire used sarcasm here.

''I was beauty and grave itself'' (page 28, top) This is an overstatement, it seems like she has a very high self esteem about how she looked years ago. Her beauty was such that she went from being a princess to a slave.