CURRICULUM GUIDE huntingtontheatre.org/education
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Living in a castle and tutored by optimistic philosopher Dr. Pangloss, Candide believes as a young man that everything happens for the best, making this the best of all possible worlds. But after revealing his love for the beautiful Cunegonde, he is suddenly exiled from that paradise. A chain of astonishing calamities befalls them both, causing Candide to question whether, as another philosopher suggests to him, everything may happen for the worst, making this the worst of all possible worlds. In the end, reunited with Cunegonde, who has lost her beauty, and determined to build a life together, Candide comes to believe that this world is neither the best nor the worst possible, but nonetheless deserves to be held dear. OBJECTIVES Students will: 1. Identify key issues in Candide including: - the philosophy of optimism - the pursuit of happiness - satire as social protest - the hero’s journey 2. Relate themes and issues in the musical to their own lives. 3. Analyze the themes and issues within the historical and social context of the musical. 4. Participate in hands-on activities that enhance understanding of the production. 5. Evaluate the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of Candide.
PREPARATION FOR CANDIDE VOLTAIRE Born in 1694 with the name François-Marie Arouet, but better known by his pen name, Voltaire was a famous French writer and philosopher and one of the leading figures in the Enlightenment, an intellectual movement in 18th-century Europe that sought to advance human knowledge in the face of religious intolerance. Voltaire wrote many works of poetry and prose on a wide array of subjects, ranging from romance to history. But he is best known today for Candide, a satirical novella published in 1759, which lampooned many of the philosophical, religious, and political orthodoxies of his day. Because of his strong commitment to civil liberties, Voltaire is considered to be a forerunner of the French Revolution, which happened about a decade after his death. He also influenced the leaders of the American Revolution, which happened just before he died. LEONARD BERNSTEIN Leonard Bernstein, who in 1956 composed music for the stage version of Candide, was one of the preeminent American composers and conductors of the 20th century. He served for many years as the music director of the New York Philharmonic symphony orchestra and also composed music for several musicals, including West Side Story, one of the most popular musicals of all time. Students may be interested to know that Bernstein had a strong connection to Massachusetts: he was born in Lawrence, spent summers with his family in Sharon, graduated from Boston Latin School in 1935, studied music at Harvard University and later at Tanglewood, and was a visiting professor at Brandeis University. RICHARD WILBUR Richard Wilbur, who wrote the lyrics for several songs in Candide (including “The Best of All Possible Worlds,” “Oh, Happy We,” “Glitter and Be Gay,” and “Make Our Garden Grow”) is an American poet and translator. He has twice been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. Wilbur also has a strong connection to Massachusetts: he studied at Amherst College and Harvard University, taught at Smith College, and now teaches at Amherst. As an introduction to his poetry, consider reading the poem “Juggler” aloud to the class. After reading it, discuss whether Voltaire, in writing Candide, could be considered like the “sky-blue juggler with five red balls,” “swinging a small heaven about his ears,” who “shake[s] our gravity up.”
KEY ISSUES & EVENTS THE PHILOSOPHY OF OPTIMISM Candide’s tutor, Dr. Pangloss, espouses a philosophy of optimism: that everything must happen for the best, because an omniscient and all-powerful God would only create the best of all possible worlds. His philosophy is modeled on that of Voltaire’s real-life contemporary, German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Other leading intellectuals who ascribed to a similar philosophy included English poet Alexander Pope, who famously wrote, “whatever is, is right.” Voltaire considered the philosophy of optimism untenable, and indeed ridiculous, because it required one to rationalize even the most horrible events as somehow happening for the greater good. The scholar that Candide meets later in the musical, Martin, espouses the opposite philosophy of pessimism: that everything in this world happens for the worst, because humans are evil and foolish. Do you agree with either philosophy? If not, what is your own philosophy on good and evil? THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS The characters in Candide suggest many different, and often contradictory, ways of pursuing happiness. Early in the musical, Candide sings of happiness as being comfortable with his humble position in society. Cunegonde and Maximilian, in contrast, sing of happiness as being wealthy and admired. Cacambo remarks that “nothing gives one a greater pleasure in life than to go off the common road,” whereas the old woman sings the praises of assimilation. In the utopian city of El Dorado, people look to science and technological development as a source of happiness. But Candide cannot find happiness there without his love Cunegonde. At the end of the musical, Martin proclaims “work is the only way to make life bearable.” Candide echoes that sentiment with his call to “make our garden grow.” What is true happiness? Are there many, or any, ways to achieve it? What is your way? SATIRE AS SOCIAL PROTEST Candide is a classic example of satire, a mode of expression in which ridicule is used to criticize social conventions and provoke social change, while at the same time making the audience laugh. To accomplish those goals, satire usually features ample amounts of sarcasm, irony, exaggeration, and parody. Satire can range in intensity, from light and good-natured (also called “Horatian” satire) to harsh and contemptuous (also called “Juvenalian” satire). Can you think of modern-day examples of each? Where does Candide fall along that spectrum? Together as a class, make a list of the subjects that Voltaire satirizes. When is his satire most, or least effective, and why? Is it because the satire is funnier, because the criticism is sharper, because the subject is easier to criticize, or for some other reason?
THE HERO’S JOURNEY Candide has been variously described as a hero’s journey (“monomyth”), a comingof-age story (“bildungsroman”), and a roguish adventure (“picaresque”). While it may not fit neatly within any of those categories, the story contains elements of each. As in a traditional monomyth, Candide is forced to leave home on a great journey; he meets friends and mentors along the way; with their help, he overcomes seemingly insurmountable obstacles; and then finally he returns home, able to share what he has learned. As in a bildungsroman, he grows from a naïve young person into a mature adult through a series of transformative experiences. And as in a picaresque, he uses his intelligence to navigate his way through a corrupt society, despite his low social status. Do you consider Candide to be a true hero, roguish or otherwise? How does he change throughout the story? THE SEVEN YEARS WAR The Seven Years War took place between the years 1756-1763. The war began as a battle between France and England for North American territory, but quickly expanded as a fight between many other powerful European countries for territory all over the world as it incorporated the Pomeranian War and the French and Indian War. The fight for colonization between countries such as Great Britain, Prussia, Austria, the Russian Empire, just to name a few, resulted in the further colonization of territories in North America, Europe, the Caribbean isles, the Philippines and coastal Africa. Fighting ceased in 1763 at the Treaty of Paris, during which many complicated land exchanges were arranged, with Great Britain remaining as the country with the most power and influence. THE 1755 LISBON EARTHQUAKE The Lisbon Earthquake occurred in 1755 and marks one of the deadliest earthquakes in history. The earthquake killed between 10,000 and 100,000 people between the earthquake itself and the tsunami and fires that subsequently followed. Although the natural disaster took place in Lisbon, Portugal, many other parts of the country had intense effects, and it was said that the earthquake was felt as far as North Africa and Finland. The earthquake destroyed 85% of buildings in Lisbon, including major churches. This is one of many reasons as to why the earthquake had a huge cultural impact. Religion was questioned, lack of faith was proposed, and new philosophies were introduced, like the philosophy of the sublime, and provided a convenient example for satirical thinking. Voltaire published the original Candide just four years after the earthquake, using the earthquake as a strong contrast to the popular philosophy that this was “the best of all possible worlds.”
MASTERY ASSESSMENT ACT I 1. What is happening as the musical begins? 2. What is Dr. Pangloss’s philosophy in a nutshell? 3. How is Candide related to Cunegonde? 4. Which two people does Cunegonde catch in the act of romance? 5. What do Candide and Cunegonde reveal to each other? 6. What happens after Cunegonde’s father finds her with Candide? 7. How do the Bulgarian soldiers get Candide to enlist in the army? 8. What accusation do his fellow soldiers make against Candide? 9. Where does Candide go once the war is over? 10. What is the religious affiliation of the man who helps Candide? 11.
What is Dr. Pangloss’s condition when Candide encounters him again?
12. According to Dr. Pangloss, what has happened to Cunegonde and her family? 13. What happens to the ship and crew during the journey to Lisbon? 14. What natural disaster strikes after they reach shore? 15. Why are Candide and Dr. Pangloss arrested? 16. What is an auto da fe? 17. What surprise does an old woman present to Candide? 18. What has happened to Cunegonde since Candide last saw her in Act I? 19. What happens when Don Isacaar and the Grand Inquisitor find Candide with Cunegonde?
20. Where do Candide, Cunegonde, and the old woman escape following the experience with the Grand Inquisitor? 21. For what new mission is Candide recruited? 22. What is the old woman’s story?
ACT II 1. Who is chasing after Candide? To whom does he turn for help? 2. What has happened to Maximilian? 3. What causes Candide and Maximilian to fight? How does the fight end? 4. How is El Dorado different from other towns? 5. Why does Candide leave El Dorado? What are his parting gifts? 6. What mission does Candide give to Cacambo? 7. How does Mrs. Vanderdender trick Candide, and what happens to her in the end? 8. Which scholar has a philosophy opposite that of Dr. Pangloss? 9. What do the theatergoers sitting around Candide think of the play? 10. Where does Candide find Dr. Pangloss and Maximilian? 11. What has happened to Maximilian since Candide last saw him? 12. What has happened to Dr. Pangloss since Candide last saw him? 13. Does Candide still believe Dr. Pangloss’s philosophy? 14. Where does Candide find Cunegonde? 15. What has happened to Cunegonde during Act II since Candide last saw her? 16. What becomes of Candide and Cunegonde’s relationship at the end of the musical? 17. What does the group decide to do together at the end of the musical?
OPEN RESPONSE & WRITING OPEN RESPONSE ASSESSMENT Instructions for students: Please choose four of the following questions and answer each of them as thoroughly as possible in a well-planned and carefully written paragraph. 1. If you had to give the musical a different name, what would it be and why? (Voltaire gave his novella an alternate title; see if you can guess what it was!) 2. Why do you think Voltaire made the plot of Candide so fast-paced, and the transitions so abrupt? 3. What is the funniest part of the musical, and why? 4. What do the names Pangloss and Candide mean, and how are they fitting names for those characters? 5. Dr. Pangloss purports to teach his students about “metaphysico-theologocosmolonigology.” What fields of study might that combine, and how are they related, if at all? 6. Ralph Waldo Emerson famously wrote that “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” How is Dr. Pangloss a good example of that point? How does Dr. Pangloss remain consistent in his philosophy, and how does this prove to be harmful? 7. What is the purpose of the musical’s utopian interlude in El Dorado, with its magnificent library, gallery of science, and children who love homework, but no courts, prisons, or churches. Is it realistic? 8. On their passage back to Europe, Candide and Martin “communicated their ideas to each other, and comforted each other,” even though they did not change each other’s minds. What purposes can dialogue serve, other than persuasion? 9. At the end of the musical, Candide and Cunegonde resolve to “make our garden grow.” What does that mean? 10. In what ways do you believe that free will is silenced in the world today? Give examples.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS Instructions for students: Please choose two of the following questions and answer each of them in essay format (about one page each). Remember to use topic sentences and to support your answer with examples from the musical. 1. Discuss Voltaire’s attitude toward one of the following topics, using examples from the musical: (a) religion, (b) war, or (c) treatment of women. 2. What symbolic role do gardens play in the musical? When do they appear, and what do they represent? 3. If you had to describe each of the main characters in Candide as a “stock” character based on a common stereotype, which stock characters would you choose and why? 4. The old woman who boasts of being “easily assimilated” into new cultures remarks that “these days you have to be in the majority.” To what extent, if any, is that true in America today? Should it be so? 5. Dr. Pangloss believes that “everyone has an equal right” to the “wealth of the earth,” but laments that “one cannot be prescribed so much as an onion sandwich without someone paying for it” (echoing the saying, popularized by economist Milton Friedman, that “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”). Do you agree with Dr. Pangloss’s sentiments? Why or why not? 6. In what ways do you believe that Candide’s life outlook changed throughout the course of the play? As the musical ends, is Candide less naïve? How have his ideas about the universe evolved? 7. The concepts of “good” and “bad” are used heavily throughout Candide (the best vs. the worst of all possible worlds). How does Voltaire exhibit that seeing the world through such a lens is too simplistic? 8. What events lead the characters of Cunegonde and Maximilian to change their views of the value of wealth and privilege? 9. Write a critical review of the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of Candide and submit it for publication to your school newspaper. Be sure to send the Huntington a copy!
MEDIA ASSESSMENT The following exercises are interactive, hands-on challenges in drama, music, art, and design. They aim to give students a better understanding of the many roles that contribute to a theatrical production. CHARACTERIZATION Have each student choose a character from Candide to portray. As if preparing for the role in rehearsal, ask students to answer the following questions about their characters: (a) What is my objective in the play, and which obstacles stand in my way? (b) How, if at all, does my character transform during the course of the play? (c) Are there any contradictions inherent in my character? (d) What do other characters think of my character, and what does my character think of them? ACTING Have students form small groups to act out a scene from the play (with or without a song). Select an important moment from Candide. Use props and costumes, if possible, to enhance the performance. Students should consider their placement on the stage, blocking (who moves where and when), gestures, vocal tone, and the intended emotional impact of the scene. Use the Characterization activity above to help students develop their assigned roles. MUSIC Have students listen to a selection of songs from popular American musicals, preferably from an assortment of prominent composers (e.g., Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rodgers & Hammerstein). Discuss what features they have in common, and what makes each of them unique. For an ambitious class or group of students, consider composing a song appropriate for a musical about your school or town (with emphasis on the word appropriate!) and then performing it. VISUAL ART A very important part of putting on a play is creating the advertising to engage an audience. It’s no fun putting on a play without people to see it! Have students each design a poster advertising an upcoming performance of Candide. Remember to include (fictional) dates of the performance, price of tickets, etc. Their designs, in whatever medium they choose, should reflect the mood and tone of the play. How do you sum up the spirit of Candide? Look for marketing materials created by the Huntington Theatre Company to compare and contrast with your own publicity creations.
FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION 1. Dr. Pangloss believes that his philosophy of optimism explains why “pigeons can fly,” “camels are mammals,” and every animal seems well suited to its purpose. One hundred years after Voltaire wrote Candide, the English naturalist Charles Darwin offered another explanation: that animals endlessly evolve and adapt to their environment through a process of natural selection. Research Darwin’s theory of evolution, how it was initially received, and how it has developed over the past 150 years. Darwin famously said that “there is grandeur in this view of life … that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” Do you think Dr. Pangloss would agree? 2. Candide is forced to fight for the Bulgarians in a war similar to the Seven Years’ War, which was ongoing when Voltaire wrote the story. The Seven Years’ War began primarily as a conflict between England and France over North American territory (known in the United States as the French and Indian War), but ultimately erupted into a global conflict that drew in most of the powerful countries of that time and spread to several other fronts, including Europe, Central America, Africa, and India. Research the war to determine what its causes and effects were, what alliances it created, and what the fighting was like. 3. Candide also witnesses the great Lisbon earthquake of 1755, an 8.5 to 9.0 magnitude earthquake that caused a large tsunami and fires that destroyed the city of Lisbon and killed tens of thousands of people in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco. Research the earthquake and tsunami and how the world responded to the disaster. Compare that to the recent earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 and Japan in 2011. How were they similar? How were they different? Candide becomes a target of the Portuguese Inquisition, an analogue to the more famous Spanish Inquisition. Both inquisitions targeted people who either had converted to Catholicism from other faiths (primarily Judaism and Islam) but were seen as insufficiently committed to Catholic orthodoxy, or refused to abandon their true beliefs, attempting to resist religious persecution. As shown in the musical, such “heretics” were forced to make public penance, and sometimes even punished by torture or execution, in a ritual known as an auto-da-fé. Research both inquisitions. What was their origin? How long did they last? What roles did the monarchy and church, respectively, play in them? What were actual examples of resistance to the inquisitions?
HANDOUT #1: VOCABULARY acclaim adorn anecdote arduous assimilate basely betrothed calamities citadel conniving contraband convalesce counsel decry doctrine embark epitaph extortion flaxen gauntlet gilded glint hospitable
ignoble impeach impertinence inanity indispensible infallible infernal insolence interval laymen lineage monograph nautical nosegay novice pangloss presumptuous primrose propitious regiment repose simpleton
HANDOUT #2: THE GEOGRAPHY OF CANDIDE Candide travels throughout much of Europe and South America during the musical. Using a world map, chart his progress from: (1) Westphalia, Germany to (2) Bulgaria to (3) Holland to (4) Lisbon, Portugal to (5) Buenos Aires, Argentina to (6) Paraguay to (7) El Dorado, wherever you think it should be, to (8) Suriname to (9) Bordeaux, France to
(10) Paris, France to (11) Portsmouth, England to (12) Venice, Italy to (11) Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, Turkey. Put the number on each location and then draw a line to the next one.
WRITE: Think about your own journeys or journeys your parents or grandparents have made. How does traveling for a long distance over a long period of time change a person?
LESSON PLANS Teachers’ Note: Choose activities that are appropriate for your classroom period. All assignments are suggestions. Only a teacher knows his or her class well enough to determine the level and depth to which any piece of literature may be examined. TWO-DAY LESSON PLAN introduces students to the context and major themes of Candide. DAY ONE – Introducing the Play •
Read the Synopsis of the play. Discuss other works students have studied with similar themes and issues.
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If time allows, discuss further pages from the literary guide, narrating highlights for students.
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Distribute Mastery Assessment for students to complete after attending the performance at the Huntington Theatre Company.
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Optional: Distribute Handout #1: Vocabulary and ask students to define each word. DAY TWO – Attending the Play
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Attend the performance at the Huntington Theatre Company.
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Homework: Students should answer the Mastery Assessment questions.
FOUR-DAY LESSON PLAN introduces students to Candide and then, after viewing the performance, asks them to think critically about what they have seen. Includes time for class discussion and individual assessment. DAYS ONE AND TWO •
Same as in two-day lesson plan. DAY THREE – Follow-up Discussion
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Discuss Mastery Assessment answers in class.
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Pick a selection of open response assessment questions, and have students work on them either individually in writing or in small groups verbally
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Discuss other aspects of performance using students’ open response assessments as a guide DAY FOUR – Test
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Have students choose 1 question from the Writing Assignments to answer
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Have students answer 2 out of 4 open response assessment questions not discussed the previous day
SEVEN-DAY LESSON PLAN completely integrates Candide into your schedule. Within seven school days, you can introduce the play, assign reading and vocabulary, and assess your students. Students will ideally view the play after completing Mastery Assessment questions. DAY ONE – Introducing the Play •
Same as in two-day and four-day lesson plans.
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Homework: Read Act I and answer corresponding Mastery Assessment questions.
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Optional: Distribute Handout #1: Vocabulary for homework, due on Day Four. DAY TWO – Discussing Act I
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Discuss Act I and answers to Mastery Assessment questions.
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Homework: Read Act II and answer corresponding Mastery Assessment questions. DAY THREE – Discussing Act II
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Discuss Act Two and answers to Mastery Assessment questions.
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Optional: Remind students that Handout #1: Vocabulary is due tomorrow. DAY FOUR – Group Work
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Have students form groups and complete Handout #2: The Geography of Candide. Note: They will need detailed world maps to complete the handout.
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As time permits, complete one or more of the Media Assessment activities.
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Optional: Review Handout #1: Vocabulary.
DAY FIVE – Attend Performance •
Same as Day Two in one-day and four-day lesson plans.
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Optional: For extra credit, students may choose to complete one of the For Further Exploration tasks or one of the Media Assessment activities not completed in class on Day Four.
DAY SIX – Review and Test Preparation •
Students should answer the Open Response questions as preparation for their test the following day.
DAY SEVEN – Test •
Have students choose two questions from the Writing Assignments to answer in one class period.
RELATED WORKS & RESOURCES Students seeking to broaden their understanding of Candide and its historical context may consider consulting the following resources: •
The Portable Voltaire, edited by Ben Ray Redman (1977)
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Voltaire Almighty: A Life in Pursuit of Freedom, by Roger Pearson (2005)
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The Age of Enlightenment: The 18 Century Philosophers, edited by Isaiah Berlin (1984)
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Broadway: The American Musical, by Michael Kantor & Laurence Maslon (2004)
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The Seven Years War in Europe: 1756-1763, by Franz A.J. Szabo (2007)
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Inquisition: The Reign of Fear, by Toby Green (2009)
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The Last Day: Wrath, Ruin, and Reason in the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, by Nicholas Shrady (2008)
Students who enjoy Candide may also be interested in the following works: •
Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift (1726)
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A Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift (1729)
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A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, by Mark Twain (1889)
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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart (1962)
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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, directed by Stanley Kubrick (1964)