Zadig L' Ingenu (Penguin Classics)

Rating:
Summary: A LITTLE BELOW PAR
Review: One of the current fads in fiction is to take a painting by some Dutch master of some nameless woman and write a book about that woman's relationship with the artist. For example, The Girl with the Pearl Earring. That was successful, so then you see dozens of the same ilk. In the late 18th century and early 19th centuries, with the publication of the Arabian Nights in translation, writers became involved in the new fad of setting their tales in the Arab world. Voltaire was not immune to it, as is evidenced with Zadig.

Much as science fiction writers sometimes mask the satire of our world in technological allegory, so Voltaire uses the setting of ancient Babylon to critique French society and beyond that, the customs of all of Europe. Zadig is young nobleman who falls into all kinds of troubles as he tries to make his way through life. He's a nice guy that doesn't deserve such troubles. For example, when his fiance is being kidnapped, he is struck by an arrow and the doctor says he won't live. When Zadig does survive, the doctor is angry at him because he survived! Then his fiance dumps him. Zadig will have to fight against treacherous kings, mages, women, thieves, actually just about everyone in the world turns against him.

The second work contained in this volume is L'Ingenu (The Child of Nature). In Volataire's time, and even in our time, Native Americans are romanticized as being closer to Nature. They didn't litter, they didnt destroy environments, etc. They were at one with the land. A lot of that is hokey. But in L'Ingenu we encounter this stereotype in the form of The Child of Nature, supposedly an Huron Indian visiting the high society of France. He ends up being the long lost nephew of the very French Abbe he is visiting. Of course, as soon as the Abbe learns this he tries to convert him to Christianity. What ensues is similar to Zadig. The Child of Nature most overcome all the lies and deceptions of the modern world in order to find his happiness.

I have to say that after reading 3 works by Voltaire, I'm not that impressed. To me, Candide was no big whoop. These two works bookend that famous work and inform it to some extent. Zadig seems to have been a warmup pitch for Candide and is equal in art to that work. In fact I would say they were interchangeable. If you've read one, you don't have to read the other. L'Ingenu on the other hand seems to go a little deeper. It criticizes the Church quite violently and actually dispenses with the comedy by its end. I've read many comedies funnier than this and tragedies more poignant. Don't come to this book expecting greatness.

Rating:
Summary: Zadig:
Review: Voltaire chooses an oriental tale as setting for an analysis of human traits and the influence of good and evil on human destiny. The essentialy good Zadig suffers setback after setback on his quest to reunite with his true love and after having almost lost all hope of finding happiness he suceeds in overcoming the evil and jealous medlings of the people around him and is able to lead a content and prosperous life. In essence the story shows how human destiny is undisputable and that the road to a fullfilled life is long and hard. "Zadig" is a nice example of 18th century French Enlightment, questioning old traditions and social structures in combination with showing new views on humanity and ideals.