Student Essay on Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego Analysis of Voltaire's Candide

During a time of revolution, Voltaire wrote Candide in desperation to bring true insight on mankind's ignorance. Kicked out of his castle, Candide adventures throughout Europe encountering violent acts, and then retribution for those acts. Consistent violence throughout the novel and its motives invoke thought on a main theme of justice, Voltaire either coincidentally or intently portrayed. Justice was often carried out irrationally and usually with little to no justification, and Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego theory on mankind's action clearly gives justification to mankind's acts seeming like no justification exists. Sigmund Freud's theory divided the state of conscience action into three parts, Id, Ego, and Superego, and each category was able to cause direct action: Id causes action based on basic instinct regarding aggression, sexual desire, and gratifying release; Superego causes action based on societal morality; Ego causes action based upon rational balance, appeasing both Id and Superego. The characters of Voltaire's Candide and their actions reaffirm Freud's theory on human behavior.

The two extremes of human action are Id and Superego. Actions based on Id are basic human instinct: Instincts of sexuality, aggression, and instant gratification. Freud believed actions solely based upon Id were immature and saw this immaturity practiced by children. Voltaire satirically portrays this immaturity through each of the basic human instincts.

Sexual instinct, seen throughout the novel, is clearly seen as a basic human instinct. Immaturity stems from acting upon basic desires, and it is clear that many examples of sex within the novel stem from immaturity. To act solely upon Id means to deny ones Superego, or morals. Both Cunegonde and the Old Woman share stories of being raped by men. As adult as it may seem to rape, it is no where near mature according to Freud. When a man rapes, he is denying his morality and simply acting upon his urge. The spontaneity of sex throughout the story gives an immature insight on it. In the first chapter, Pangloss is noted to have sex with a servant; when Candide and Cunegonde find each other for the first time after being separated, both the Jew and the Inquisitor barge into their room,separately, wishing to have sex with Cunegonde; the most interesting example: after Cacambo and Candide escape from the German Jesuit camp, they randomly find two girls sexually intimate with two monkeys. In each of these situations, spontaneity of sex is seen. The one example that sheds light on all the others is the monkey example. Candide is surprised that women would be sexually intimate with a monkey. Cacambo replies "Why should you think it is so strange that in some countries there are monkeys which insinuate themselves into the good graces of the ladies; they are a fourth part human, as I am a fourth part Spaniard (Voltaire 38)." Voltaire clearly shows here that since an animal is part human, he is able to act upon his sexuality. This comes back to Id. When one acts solely upon Id, he is denying his Superego. Voltaire compares acting solely upon the basic human instinct of sexual aggression between man and animal, unveiling the animalistic immaturity of human kind.

The second basic human instinct, aggression, is seen throughout the novel, especially within Candide. Candide notes himself to have killed three men: a Jew, a priest, and his old Jesuit master from Thunder-ten-tronkh. The first death of the Jew, which is different then the other two, Candide did not show instant aggression, rather instant aggression was showed to him. The Jew walks in on Candide and Cunegonde, and immediately attacks our German hero. This instant aggression is what gets him killed because Voltaire notes that the Jew didn't even think if Candide was armed. This is the perfect example of acting solely upon Id with the denial of Ego, or the denial of a rational thought process. Because the Jew acted immaturely denying rational thought, Candide had a sword and stabbed the Jew. One down, and two to go.

Immediately following, the Inquisitor walks in and this is the first instance of Candide showing the human instinct of aggression. Voltaire satirically shows Candide's thought process and it's immaturity "At this moment, the following is what passed in the Soul of Candide, and how he reasoned: If this holy man call in assistance, he will surely have me burnt; and Cunegonde will perhaps be served in the same manner; he was the cause of my being cruelly whipped; he is my rival; and, as I have now began to kill, I will kill away, for there is no time to hesitate (Voltaire 20)." On the outside, it may seem that just justification has been given, but if a deeper look is taken, the entire justification is based upon several logical fallacies. The first logical fallacy, False Dillema, is shown when Candide assumes the Inquisitor will burn him. This logical fallacy blows a problem to preposterous implications. Candide felt the Inquisitor would burn him and Cunegonde, but gave no justification for this implication. Basically it was unlikely the Inquisitor would burn Candide and Cunegonde because it would mean the possible exposure of the Inquisitor's crime. The second logical fallacy presented, Fallacy of Division, is when he blames being whipped on the Inquisitor. The logical fallacy here comes quite simply: because the entire Inquisition was responsible for Candide's whipping, this inquisitor is responsible for Candide's whipping as well. This logical fallacy just says what is true for the whole is true for the parts as well, when in fact the inquisitor could not be responsible. The logical fallacies are endless, but for short since this essay is at 4 pages already, it is clear that immaturity is definitely displayed by acting solely upon Id through aggression.

The third, and final basic human instinct is instant gratification. The perfect example of instant gratification is seen in the Auto-da-fe. The explanation of this comes in very few sentances, and very little analysis. What Voltaire saw here was the immaturity of the Inquisition when they chose to stop the earthquakes simply by killing people for no reason. Here we saw man acting upon personal appeasement through irrational thought process's. Denying both Ego, and Superego, Voltaire satirically portrays Id in instant gratification. The irony here is that what was meant to instantly gratify does nothing of the sort. Just because a mass killing is held, doesn't mean the earthquakes will stop. Voltaire accurately shows how immature means or actions can distort pragmatic ends.

Voltaire not only portrays Id and its immaturity within Candide, but also Superego. Voltaire shows through using only one, and not the other will one get poor results. Superego in short is morality, but a more in depth analysis shows that it is also what the current society feels is acceptable (social norms and mores). When an individual acts using his Superego, he will do what is socially accepted, or what is moral. Freud believed that the Superego always countered human instinct. A clear example of acting solely upon Superego is Candide's reaction to Cunegonde's transformation. The entire novel is based on Candide looking for his love, and in the end she grows uglier every day. Candide no longer wishes to marry Cunegonde, but because of "his word (Voltaire 84), he chooses to marry. Voltaire also says the decision was made because the"(baron determined him to conclude the match" (Voltaire 84) and "Cunegonde pressed him so strongly (Voltaire 84)." Because of Candide's personal morality, and the pressure of society, he goes against his basic instinct. In this situation, Candide denies his Id and chooses his superego.

Between the two extremes of Superego and Id lies ego, the balance of rationality. Freud believed that perfect action is accomplished when both Superego and Id are taken into account. He also believes true happiness is gained when lives are dictated by Ego and it's perfect action because through rationality, a decision can incorporate all states of conscience. Through all of the sadness and gloom, Voltaire mentions one truly happy character in the book: the farmer. However, no direct evidence is shown on how the farmer chooses action, but according to Freud, this Farmer must balance his decisions on rationality. The most inspiring quote within the entire book "Labour preserves us from three great evils - weariness, vice, and want (Voltaire 86) explains how true happiness can be lost: Weariness, or boredom, is portrayed in the land of El Dorado where life is so full of money that it is dull; Vice, or immorality and corruption, is a constant theme throughout the novel shown through rape, the inquisition and many, many more; Want, or desire, is another constant theme portrayed through jewel thieving friars, men craving sex, even if it be the pope, and the quest for complete happiness. In each "evil" instance, extreme examples of either Superego or Id exist, and according to the Farmer, they are "great evils." The Farmer has achieved true happiness because he has used his labour to negate each evil. The Farmer is the perfect example of how Ego can achieve a truly happy life.

According to Freud, the Id, the Superego, and Ego cannot exist independently, however Voltaire satirically exposes the existence of the two opposites independently, and their negative effects. Voltaire shows the stupidity of acting solely upon ones morality, or acting solely upon ones instinct. In the end, all the characters, whether they act upon their morality or instinct, come to the conclusion that the life of the farmer is a truly happy life. Proof can be shown through the following logic: because Candide will be working, he will not have to make love to Cunegonde, human instinct, and because both are always working, it will not seem immoral for them to never make love. Through labour, Ego is achieved, therefore appeasing to both Id and Superego, human instinct and morality. Through Voltaire's use of comedy, irony, exaggeration, and other satirical devices, he shows how each of Freud's three states of conscience and action affect life. Using Candide as a conduit, Voltaire has conveyed the message that issues of morality cannot completely dictate ones life, nor can someone's basic human instincts dictate. Rather, one must find the decision that incoroporates both, and appeases both. But now all of that is very well, let us cultivate our garden, and achieve our ego.