Zadig
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zadig is a famous novel by Voltaire, of a philosophical cast, bearing upon life as in the hands of a destiny beyond our control. It is an early work by Voltaire, before he had fallen out of favour with the court. A few people consider it to be better than his best known novel, Candide.
Contents |
[edit] Plot introduction
It tells the story of Zadig, a philosopher in ancient Babylonia. It does not attempt any historical accuracy, and some of the problems he faces are thinly disguised references to problems of Voltaire's own day.
[edit] Plot summary
Zadig's social station goes from high in the aristocracy to the lowest of slaves. It is a story of religious and metaphysical orthodoxy that Voltaire challenged with prose and the moral revolution taking place in Zadig himself. Voltaire's great skills of contradiction and juxtaposition are shown in beautiful form in this prose.
In Babylon, Zadig is a young person, rich, beautiful, and scholarly. He loves Sémire passionately and is due to marry her. Zadig, an optimist, is persuaded that happiness with her is possible. Alas, it will produce only disillusion.
Orcan, jealous of the love between Zadig and Sémire wishes to kidnap her. Zadig manages to drive out the kidnappers but is wounded in the eye. During Zadig's convalescence, Sémire gives him up to marry Orcan. Zadig takes refuge in the arms of Azora. Disappointed after a test of Azora's loyalty, Zadig decides to devote himself to science. Its knowledge and the relevance of its analysis causes him to be imprisoned.
Cleared, Zadig is released, becoming the favourite of the king and the queen. Eventually, he is named Prime Minister for king Moabdar and his renown grows throughout Babylon. Unfortunately, Zadig falls in love with Queen Astarté who feels similarly about him. Threatened with death from the king, Zadig must flee.
On the way to Egypt, he helps a woman being beaten by an Egyptian. He kills the Egyptian and is held as a murderer and sold like a slave. Due to his skill, he becomes the friend to his master, Sétoc. Zadig later suggests a reform regarding a custom that widows throw themselves on a funeral pyre when their husbands die. This suggesting invokes the hatred of the priests who profit from this custom. At a supper with Bassora, with guests from various countries, the guests quarrel over various rites. Zadig manages to reconcile them proving that they all are of the same opinion and that they worship the same God. However, the priests still persecute him. He escapes death thanks to the intervention from Almona, a widow whom Zadig once saved from death.
Sétoc marries Almona and Zadig plans to return to Babylon in order to re-examine Astarté. On the way, he is captured by a brigand named Argobad. Learning from the brigand that a rebellion in Babylon has done away with Moabdar, Zadig obtains leave of Argobad. Zadig then meets a fisherman who has decided to commit suicide. Zadig prevents him from doing so and asks him return to Babylon. Zadig then serendipitously finds and obtains the release of Astarté.
Astarté is received triumphantly in Babylon. Zadig wins a tournament by combat. But one of the rivals, Itobad, manages to seize and wear the armour of Zadig and is mistakenly proclaimed victorious in his stead. Despairing, Zadig wanders along the banks of the Euphrates. He there meets Jesrad, an old hermit. They conclude an agreement: they should not separate for several days. During this time, the hermit and Zadig are guests in several homes, and the hermit does horrible things at each place. Zadig is shocked and disgusted, but the hermit tells him to be patient. At the end of a few days, the hermit reveals himself as the angel Jesrad, who took the features of an old man, and justifies each of his seemingly horrendous acts. The angel explains to Zadig the meaning of life:
"It's important to have in mind that evil is essential to the order of the world and the birth of the good.", the angel - Jesred.
Zadig is not convinced by this and the angel flies away towards the sky.
On return to Babylon, Zadig is faced with a series of enigmas. He solves them easily. He announces that it is he and not Itobad who used the white armour during the tournament, and proves this by besting the armor-clad Itobad while Zadig himself is wearing a nightgown. Zadig is finally restored to the title and marries Astarté and rules as a just and wonderful king.
Whereupon Babylon then knows happiness and prosperty.
[edit] Characters in "Zadig"
- Zadig – the main protagonist, a Babylonian philosopher
- Sémire – his love interest
- Orcan – Zadig's rival
- Azora – alternative lover
- Moabdar – King of Babylon
- Astarté – Queen of Babylon
- Setoc – Zadig's master as slave
- Bassora –
- Almona – a widow
- Argobad – a brigand
- Jesrad – an old hermit
- Itobad – rival in combat
- Jesrad – an angel
[edit] External links
- Zadig: or, The Book of Fate, available freely at Project Gutenberg (English translation)
[edit] Reference
- This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopaedia.
