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Literature

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Running head: LITERATURE 1

Literature

Introduction

Characters in a work of art represent the main vehicle used by the author to pass a given message to the audience and the society in general. By giving the characters a human body and consequently exposing them to everyday life practices of a person in the confined society with rules and regulations governing their actions, the author is able to pass a message relevant to a people, contrasting the actions of the character in the literature to that of a real person. In the novels Justine, Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, Sade’s Justine and Voltaire’s Candide a unique society is presented, one where evil reigns over good, the morally upright often struggling amidst the pressure presented by others. The main protagonists are presented with many challenges which they have to overcome in, a journey which develops their characters and those of the people around them. In this paper, an elaborate analysis of the characters will be provided, and also a definition of the main themes present in the three novels.

1) Compare and contrast the character Justine (in Sade's Justine) with the character Therese in Zola's Therese Raquin. Describe the characters and the different narrative techniques employed to portray them. Please discuss how female sexuality is depicted in each novel.

Justine is drawn as the heroine of the story through her commendable character, strictly upholding her virtues against all the odds. Thérèse, on the other hand, is a complete opposite of Justine, carelessly engaging in evils giving little regard to consequences that may befall her. When Marquis confides in her his desire to commit matricide and his proposal to include Justine in the scheme, she does not accept this and adheres to her principles despite the huge reward she would get from being an accomplice, or despite the fact that the murder would still be omitted despite her insistence to the contrary. Émile Zola contrary to this draws Thérèse as having a weak moral stand and is willing to contemplate the murder of her husband to be with her secret lover.

Justine is drawn as a victim of circumstance and foul play by nature and the people around her. She has a strong moral character one that makes her refuse to engage in immoral or evil activities for the purification of her soul, despite there being a huge reward for her committing evil. This is the primary reason she fails to agree with her sister on the best way to live life these two choosing different paths of understanding and experiencing the new world which has been forced unto them. Unlike the character Thérèse in Émile Zola’s Thérèse Raquin, Justine has an inner tendency to virtue that is strong and un-wavered by external determinants present surrounding her. When La Dubois tries to recruit her into the life of prostitution, she does not accept the offer, and instead, she runs away from La Dubois and her accomplices. A strong moral character and a strong believer is the best definition of Justine, vehemently refusing to be driven by the earthly desires of the flesh and instead remains true and upholds her religion, which is said to give her spiritual pleasure, satisfying her and making her lack a desire to have physical pleasure like Bressac or Thérèse.

On the other hand, a different picture of Thérèse is drawn, seen to be a child born out of an association between an Algerian beauty and a France father, giving her an African aura. The background of Thérèse is significantly different from that of Justine. In Thérèse Raquin, Émile Zola paints the picture of an orphaned girl left behind to the care of her aunt as a result of the death of her mother and later that of her father. She had not been abandoned or subjected to high level of poverty before the death of her parents, but her life changes when she is left under the care of her aunt. She is then confined in a dull and unpleasant atmosphere to care for Camille due to his constant illness, but the surrounding are shown to disgust her despite the insistence of her aunt that things would become better someday. Years later, Mme Raquin proposes a marriage between Camille and Thérèse despite them having no romantic attachment to each other, a proposal Camille accepts, making Thérèse move to his room, which is a small change for her.

Due to her life confined in the dull and environment with Camille’s illnesses, Thérèse who was a healthy and passionate girl develops a calculating, suspicious and outwardly cold personality and initially takes no initiative to improve his life or surrounding bringing a sense of hopelessness for the adventurous spirit, this shown by the contemptuous indifference in which she views her surroundings (12).

However, just like Justine, the narrowness of possibilities for her in the environment which Thérèse has been placed point to a dark future leading to inevitable and insipid choices such as her marriage to Camille. The two characters are also shown to be victims of male manipulation. Justine forced into a life of sex manipulation by many of the wealthy personalities who had offered her shelter and protection from the wildlife, and Thérèse manipulated into marriage by Laurent so that he could “inherit Mme Raquin’s forty or so thousand francs” (91).

Justine was shown to be a timid girl whose only goal was to improve her life and distance herself from the evil people, her desire to remain chaste shown by her reluctance to follow the desires of the flesh for wealth and a better life like her sister. Unlike Justine, Thérèse is a wild spirit who is forced to tune down her wild animal energy to accommodate the depressing people she was forced to live with, “And Thérèse could not see a single human, not a living creature, among these grotesque and sinister beings with whom she was shut up. At times she would suffer hallucinations, thinking that she was buried in a vault together with mechanical bodies whose heads moved and whose arms and legs waved when their strings were pulled” (40).

Émile Zola uses imagery to point out to Thérèse’s high expectations and personality in life which are suppressed by the environment of Passage du Pont-Neuf. Through the introduction of Laurent, Thérèse’s desires and personality are exposed driving her to seek an environment where she would fit. Here, the author describes the house in a sarcastic way to mean that the woman was cut of an expensive material one neither Camille nor Laurent could fit, but she shows her humble nature, probably because of the lust and desire which drove her, and decides to fit in the garret, where “space was so small that her wide skirts could hardly fit inside it“(54).

In these novels, female sexuality is depicted as a tool through which women gain relevance in the society and as a tool through which they can manipulate the progress of people. Women in the stories are shown as tools for sex, this being majorly their only purpose throughout. Very few women are shown in the stories working in other capacities like a business, making their only major contribution being through love, and sex. Their beauty is the captivating element for them, and their sexual prowess giving them further compliance and influence on their suitors, the authors particularly upholding their importance in sexual matters and pleasure. The beauty of Justine make her the target

2) How would Pangloss fit into Sade's novel Justine? How would he philosophize in the world of the libertine?

Pangloss was an important oracle and master to Candide and the person who taught him the ways of the world with his famous analogy that there is no effect without a cause and everything in the world is for the best. If he were present in Sade’s novel Justine, master Pangloss would retaliate that every punishment and obstacle the two sisters were passing through was for the best and that this was meant as a way of preparing them for a better future. After the two part way and the sister engage in earthly pleasures to acquire wealth while Justine decides to pursue her faith and maintain her virtue, this move would have been commended by Pangloss. This just like when she turns down the offer by La Dubois points the libertine mantra which provides that crime leads to prosperity, while virtue is bound to cause misfortune. Here, the sage would justify the decision not to engage in immorality by claiming that providence is bound to recompense Justine’s virtue in the afterlife. This would mean that despite continued suffering or lack of prosperity due to a lack of desire to engage in immorality will be ultimately repaid because there exists a greater being who regulates the universe, punishing the evil while rewarding the morally upright.

Nature places a person in various circumstances to determine their resolute nature and their actions. In this way, nature plays a major role in shaping our actions. In the novel, La Dubois expresses instances where nature forces us to commit evil, terming these as a point where the external environment exceeds the internal desires of the individual. Pangloss here would argue on the basis of regulation of self-actions, and the necessity of listening to the sane moral personality present deep down in our conscience and use this as the basis through which our actions are determined.

3) Compare the love story in Voltaire's Candide with the relationship between Therese and Laurent in Zola's Therese Raquin. Is romantic love prioritised in the novels? Also, mention the significance of- (or lack thereof) romantic love in Eldorado.

Love in Voltaire’s Candide is driven by sexual desire where the sexual attraction Candide feels for Cunégonde is the driving force in the novel, this in combination with admiration and respect for Pangloss and Martin forming the basis in which the characters are developed from the beginning to the end. At the beginning of the story, Candide is infatuated by with the mere sight of Cunégonde “Candide listened attentively and believed implicitly, for he thought Miss Cunegund excessively handsome, though he never had the courage to tell her so…the next that of seeing her every day” (2). Since the first kiss between the two, the actions of Candide are essentially based on her subsequently getting her, losing and getting her back again. To emphasize the extent of a desire and probable love between the two, Voltaire uses other forms of attachment thereby highlighting the importance of the relationship between Candide and Cunégonde.

Throughout the story, Candide’s love for Cunégonde drives him through, many obstacles including barely avoiding capture and execution, committing several murders and above all abandoning the paradise of El Dorado. These actions showcase how much he was sexually attracted to her, infatuation from which the entire story is weaved on. The attachment of the two and a growing fondness or love is however contrasted as when Candide goes through all the pain and challenges and eventually marries Cunégonde, and he is no longer attracted to her. However, having journeyed to her aid, Candide could not deny her as it would be a disservice for all the actions he had committed for Cunégonde not to marry her. “Even the tender Candide, that affectionate lover, upon seeing his fair Cunegund all sunburned, with bleary eyes, a withered neck, wrinkled face and arms, all covered with a red scurf, started back with horror; but, notwithstanding, recovering himself, he advanced towards her out of good manners” (92). Therefore, at this point, no love or attraction exists between the two and their marriage is virtually as a way of upholding their honor and staying true to their actions.

Similarly, in Émile Zola’s Thérèse Raquin, the relationship between Thérèse and Laurent is one of lust and driven by the desires of the flesh. The two adore each other as they have similar fantasies and see each other as the perfect pieces to compliment the incomplete lives of each other. Initially, their discontent in life, for Thérèse being her lack of romance in her marriage and the dull environment with no possibilities in which she finds herself in, drives her to seek happiness elsewhere. Laurent, on the other hand, finds the married Thérèse a cheap option to maintain as a mistress while her explosive nature and sexual intimacy escalated his desire for her. In this way, there is no evidence of love between the two but a mere reflection of the lust harbored by either, these married people striving to live within the confinements of their fantasies. The heightened desires to consummate their perceived relationship acts as the primary reason why the two plot the murder of Camille "A raging of the blood had infected his flesh, and now that his mistress was being taken away from him, his passion burst out with blind fury; he loved her to distraction… Desire had been working silently inside him, without his realizing it, and had eventually cast him, bound hand and foot, into the savage embraces of Thérèse” (53).

After the murder of Camille, the relationship between the two changes. For the first time since they had engaged in their first act of adultery, Thérèse and Laurent managed to stay for an extended period without feeling the insatiable desire for one another, this probably caused by the new-found responsibilities and indulgences each had and the guilt they felt. This would reduce them to temporary acquaintances but would soon resume their erotic indulgences this time the relationship driven not only by these desires but also as a way of escaping the nightmares and constant illusions of Camille’s corpse.

Thérèse is motivated into the relationship again by panic and passion feeling that she would be driven out of her mind if she does not have Laurent close by to comfort her. Though he has other desires for example of inheriting the savings of Mme Raquin, Laurent is also tormented by nightmares and requires the constant presence of Thérèse. At times, he could feel his neck burning and always saw the image of the dead husband. "The murderer did not dare reopen his eyes: he was afraid of seeing the victim in the corner of the room. At one point, he thought that his bed was shaking in some odd way; he imagined Camille hiding under it and shaking it like that so that Laurent would fall out and he could bite him" (86). In a way, he though marrying Thérèse would cure insomnia and eliminate the purple scar which at times felt as though someone was sticking pins into it. "She will kiss my neck, and I won't feel that frightful burning sensation… ‘Thérèse will cure that ... A few kisses will be all it takes” (87). From these illustrations, it is evident that their relationship is motivated by the terrors they shared of the constant shadow of Camille and the torment it inflicted on them.

As insomnia and guilt take the better of Thérèse and Laurent, and upon the realization that being in the company of each other is not the cure they thought it would be, their relationship changes abruptly. The bed chambers turn into a place of torment and the two could no longer welcome the prospect of being alone together as the image of Camille kept tormenting them. As both realize they may never escape the vestiges of Camille, hatred ensues between the newlyweds, each blaming the other for the pain and suffering they were feeling, Thérèse, blaming Laurent for killing Camille and Laurent blaming Thérèse for her emotional weakness. They find themselves caught up in the old familiar frustrations and lack of satisfaction, a feeling that was to be eliminated by their union and closeness.

From the two stories, sexual attachment and desires are the main attachment that brings the main characters in the story together. The first sight attraction in Voltaire’s Candide is motivated by the desire of Candide to have Cunégonde, while a similar case is evident between Thérèse and Laurent where committing adultery for the two is easy. From the first kiss, the relationships in both novels grow from a level of sexual desire to the extent of obsession, where an individual feels incomplete without engaging in sexual acts with the other party, an infatuation that leads the two characters, Candide and Laurent to commit acts of bravery and stupidity. It is, therefore, true to say that no real love exists in the story and the authors do not make an effort to develop the theme of romantic love. This is further compounded by the fact that despite the main protagonists ending up married, the attraction that existed between them fades away. For example in Émile Zola’s Thérèse Raquin, Thérèse and Laurent cannot stand to be together alone in their bedchambers, a place where they relished before the murder of Camille and their consequent engagement. Similarly, after seeing the toll the days had on Cunégonde, Candide was no longer attracted to her, and marries her for honor but not love. Another reason for there being no love between Cunégonde and Candide is the fact that Cunégonde had accepted to be married to the Governor of Buenos Aires. If romantic love existed between her and Candide, she would never have accepted the proposal and would have instead stayed with him and build their relationship.

4) Discuss the import of money and economic concerns to the characters in Voltaire's Candide and Zola's Therese Raquin.

Money and economic capability play a significant role in the novels, influencing the lives of the characters. In Candide for example, social classes and stratification are highlighted, these defining the interactions of an individual and how they are expected to behave in the society. Candide is first shown to be living in a castle though he was not of noble birth himself. However, he is quickly kicked out of the castle once he is found to have been intimate with Cunégonde, the baroness daughter. His lack of money and economic power means he is not allowed to associate with a girl from higher social status, denying him the chance to build a relationship with the woman he desires. It does not matter how good he is as without money he cannot be accorded certain privileges in the pre-revolutionary age. Without money, everyone is exposed and can be a victim of mistreatment and harassment in Voltaire’s Candide, depicting money as the ultimate key to the attainment of one’s happiness.

The advantages associated with wealth and money is the main reason why Candide’s acquisition of wealth in Eldorado seems like the end of most if not all his troubles. With the newly acquired wealth, he can pursue his love and marry Cunégonde. His life is completely changed as he is no longer exposed to threats of arrests and constant bodily harm targeted to the poor as he an easily bride his way past majority of the situations. Wealth and economic power in the society depicted in the novel serve as the key to acquire happiness and satisfaction. However, to Candide, this is not the case as the wealth make him unhappy, primarily by the sight of seeing his wealth fall into the hands of unscrupulous officials and merchants, an opinion further intensified especially after Vanderdendur cheats him. Money in this story is corrupting and gives a false illusion to the people, for example in the case of Candide, his money attracts many false friends, all who only seek to use and manipulate him. “This treatment put Candide out of all patience; it is true, he had suffered misfortunes a thousand times more grievous, but the cool insolence of the judge and the villainy of the skipper raised his choler and threw him into a deep melancholy” (56). In this way, money is shown to create more problems for the characters just as much as those it solved.

Money also plays a major role in advancing the characters in Émile Zola’s Thérèse Raquin. One of the most significant elements of money is the role it played in pushing the relationship between Thérèse and Laurent. Their relationship is compromised as Laurent has to remain at work to earn a living, reducing the time the two adulterers had for their passion. Another element of this is the role it plays in pushing for the marriage of the two, as Laurent seeks to inherit “Mme Raquin’s forty or so thousand francs” (91). In this way, money is shown to determine the state of affairs in the novel.

Conclusion.

The three novels are a representation of the dynamics of the society, ranging from family affairs and marriage, the importance of money in an economic world, and the philosophical understanding and analysis of the situations we find ourselves in. Female characters are shown to be a constant symbol of beauty and admiration by men and can use their abilities positively or negatively, by engaging in societal evils such as prostitution and murder. However, money, wealth and beauty are not the only determinants of the progress of the life of an individual, as nature also has the capability of undermining the personality and offer one happiness or grief. This ultimately leads people to a dilemma on how to manage the dynamics of life, or how to manage the situations presented by nature.

LITERATURE 14

References

Zola, É. (1992). Thérèse Raquin. Oxford University Press, USA.

Thierfelder, W. R. (1983). Zola's Thérèse Raquin. Explicator, 41(3), 33.

De Sade, M. (2007). Justine, Philosophy in the Bedroom, and other writings. Grove/Atlantic, Inc...

Wright, A. (2002). European disruptions of the idealized woman: Matthew Lewis’s The Monk and the Marquis de Sade’s La Nouvelle Justine. European Gothic: A Spirited Exchange 1760-1960, 39-54.

Voltaire, F. (2005). Candide: Or Optimism (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition). Penguin.

Scherr, A. (1993). Voltaire's' Candide': a tale of women's equality. The Midwest Quarterly, 34(3), 261-283.