Candide

After the earthquake, the “sages of that country” (15), decided to hold an auto-da-fé, believing that burning heretics at the stake will ward off further earthquakes. Pangloss and Candide are tied up and held in a dungeon for eight days before being dressed in a san-benito robes decorated with flames and devils. They are brought to the auto-da-fé, where Candide is flogged while a Biscayan convicted of “marrying his fellow godparent” (15) and two Portuguese accused of “throwing away the bacon garnish while eating a chicken” (15-16) are burned to death. Pangloss is hanged, and there is another earthquake that same day. Candide is distraught over Pangloss’ hanging and questions his teacher’s philosophy, asking, “if this is the best of all possible worlds, what must the others be like?” (16). He thinks about the senseless loss of his teacher, the Anabaptist, and Cunégonde. After being “successively preached at, flogged, absolved and blessed” (16) he turns to go but an old woman approaches him and invites him to “take heart” (16) and follow her.