Auto-da-fé

Auto-da-fé

In Colonial times, Europeans went about accusing Natives of savages. They, nevertheless did not take into consideration that they too had cannibalistic and wild characteristics.  The Auto-da-fé was “the ceremony for pronouncing judgment by the Inquisition which was followed by the execution of sentence by secular authorities” (Merriam-Webster). In Candide, an Auto-da-fé takes place to prevent further earthquakes hanging Pangloss and flogging Candide. It  is however extremely ironical that the Portuguese translation is literally act of faith. This outrageous ceremony sacrificed people’s life in the exact way that Natives from other cultures did to satisfy their deity. So after all this said-to-be opposites are connected in the strongest possible way; through their strong devotion o religion.

Although the Inquisition was in its last moments, it had still a great influence. Cunégonde lived in a house owned by both a Jew named Isaachar and an Inquisitor priest. It was this priest who had days ago victimized Candide and terminated his master’s life. He had also simultaneously burned two Jews for not eating bacon, but he is still managing to share both a house and a lady with a Jew. This is another simple proof of men’s  never-ending egoism. They are capable of doing anything for the sake of their individual benefit. Even more ironically, they end up dead together.

“The Cardinal was buried in a beautiful church, and Isaachar was thrown on the dunghill.” (pg. 46) WOW… utter shock was my complete reaction after reading this sentence. Yet, how naïve could I have been to not expect it. It is still, an entire  act of disrespect to throw off a dead animal(including humans) to a pile of excrement. They disserve more than that, especially if they have done no wrong. A river would have been fine, or just any other place but that. For most of the world’s history, Jews have not obtained their appropriate burial. They have constantly been persecuted having no chance to get their religiously appropriate burial ceremony. The two Jews burned in the Auto-da-fé did not get anything near an appropriate death since they were burned. Jewish require a natural decomposition of the body, and for it to still be under the ground for the resurrection of the Messiahs arrival.

The Auto-da-fé was obviously in vain as well as most Jewish persecutions. Still, remember that “everything happen for the best”. Candide was flogged in Portugal only to be seen by Cunégonde, her home attacked and she shared with the Inquisitor to see Candide in the Auto-da-fé. The good effect of this cause: Candide and Cunégonde were reunited into true love.