The definitions of happiness belies both books Candide and Pride and Prejudice. But they have different meanings and are in different context. I will pick two passages, one from each book and try to analyze them. In Candide, to define happiness, I have chosen p. 119. on the last chapter. The kingly mufti, explains his happiness is because of the “dome” that is built around himself and his family.
It actually seems that since this environment that he has created seems to put himself in this kingly position. He only worries about his crops on his twenty acres of land and his children. His illustration seems to give me the impression of a bio dome, something that has a great environment and is controlled. I think itOs a question of space that the man explaining.“…I never pay any attention to what goes on in Constantinople. I content myself with sending the fruits of my garden there to be sold.” He doesnOt have too much and yet he has enough.
He also explains the subject of high position, which is quiet humorous because he names about twenty high positioned people and they were all assassinated. I think the end result was that the philosopher thought too much, even though this was what truly was the philosopherOs job. It seems that Candide and the others realized that the answers to the best life was to just go about their daily live and do their daily chores. “LetOs work without theorizing” said Martin “itOs the only way to make life bearable.” Throughout the book of Pride and Prejudice Mrs. Bennets only worries were the marring of her daughters, all five of them.
She felt that since she had five daughters she had five times the stress. She obviously does not believe in marrying for love, but only for social positioning. She wanted to reach a higher class by having her daughters marry a rich man. At the end of this book on pp.254 and 255, Elizabeth speaks with both parents. Mr. Bennet feel the opposite of Mrs. Bennet, he cares about her favorite daughter and asks her if she really wants to marry Mr. Darcy. He cares about her future whether or not Elizabeth will be miserable or in grief. But he does give his consent.
On the other hand Mrs. Bennet is ecstatic of her three son in laws. Happiness to her is the “pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have!” The way Austin portrays Mrs. Bennet seems so evil and conniving. She doesnOt care for her daughters feeling at all. She is happy because of the fortune that she will have.
I have tried to explain the definitions of happiness in the two contexts of the two books, Candide and Pride and Prejudice. I feel that happiness is a definition that changes from person to person. One person may be happy with one thing and yet the other may not. I feel this is also the same with the intangible things of life.
Works Cited
- Voltaire, Trans. Bair, Lowell, Candide Bantam, 1959
- Austen, Jane Pride and Prejudice Dover, 1995
