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Candide · Chapter

Arrival of Candide and His Valet at El Dorado, and What They Saw There explained

Candide and Cacambo, after a harrowing journey through dangerous terrain, discover the utopian land of El Dorado, where gold and jewels are treated as common pebbles, the people are polite, and all necessities are provided by the state, lea

What happens

Candide and Cacambo, after a harrowing journey through dangerous terrain, discover the utopian land of El Dorado, where gold and jewels are treated as common pebbles, the people are polite, and all necessities are provided by the state, leading Candide to wonder if this is the best of all possible worlds.

Themes in this chapter

  • Optimism vs. Pessimism

    Candide's encounter with El Dorado momentarily validates Pangloss's philosophy, as he exclaims 'this is the country where all is well,' yet the chapter also underscores the rarity of such perfection.

  • Social Class and Inequality

    El Dorado subverts European class structures: children play with gold, innkeepers refuse payment, and all are served equally, highlighting the absurdity of European wealth obsession.

Characters to notice

  • Candide

    Arrives in El Dorado with Cacambo, marvels at the abundance and the children's disregard for gold and jewels.

  • Cacambo

    Acts as interpreter and guide, suggests the river journey that leads to El Dorado, and is equally astonished by the country's customs.

Key passages

  • “You see, said Cacambo to Candide, as soon as they had reached the frontiers of the Oreillons, that this hemisphere is not better than the others, take my word for it; let us go back to Europe by the shortest way.”

    Cacambo tells Candide that the New World is just as bad as the Old, and suggests they return to Europe as quickly as possible.

    Cacambo's pessimism contrasts with Candide's lingering hope, setting up the discovery of El Dorado.

  • “Here, however, is a country, said Candide, which is better than Westphalia.”

    Candide declares that El Dorado surpasses his homeland of Westphalia.

    Candide's first positive comparison, hinting at the utopian nature of El Dorado.

  • “What sort of a country then is this, said they to one another; a country unknown to all the rest of the world, and where nature is of a kind so different from ours? It is probably the country where all is well; for there absolutely must be one such place.”

    Candide and Cacambo wonder about this unknown land where nature is so different, concluding it must be the place where everything is perfect.

    Candide's optimism resurfaces as he believes he has found the best of all possible worlds.

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