Voltaire ranks as one of the most well-known satirists in the history of literature. Many of his comments are as apt today as they were over three hundred years ago when originally written. His play, Candide, is one of the best examples of this literary technique. It includes many double entendres about the Catholic church, government and government officials, women and science that invite laughter, but also serious thought as to the impact these institutions have on everyday life. Or, as it is often said, "The truth is said in jest."
             Candide, a naive young man living in the castle of the Baron of Thunder-Ten-Tronckh in Westphalia, is found kissing the Baron's daughter, Cunégonde, and exiled from the castle. He heads off for a series of mysterious and often horrible adventures around the world in a search for Cunégonde that eventually leads him to self understanding.
             One of the ways that satire is used is to exaggerate just enough that it is believable, which is a technique that Voltaire uses early on during Candide's adventures when escaping from the Bulgarian Army. This took place "while both kings were having Te Deums sung, each in his own camp." When fleeing Candide has to walk over piles of dead and dying soldiers. He looks for help in a local town and found that it had burned down, along with the inhabitants-men and women alike. The narration makes the horror on the verge of humorous by reporting it without emotion or concern. However, this is the way that Candide went through life for so many years, always looking for the good and accepting the bad. What person could take what Candide endured over this work-such beatings and torture. Of course, the largest irony of all is that after all this Candide is not happy to reach his goal "Let us work without reasoning...it is the only way to make life endurable."
             War was only one area that received Voltaire's satirical narr...