A Soap Opera

Añadir leyenda

Candide and Lady Cunégonde really have a Mexican soap opera love story. Every time they are able to be together something happens that breaks them apart, just like in the soap operas. They have prohibited love. First, when Cunégonde is “experimenting” Pangloss “findings” with Candide, he is expelled form Westphalia. Later, while he is faced with the Bulgars and beaten up as a form of Auto-da-fé, she is disemboweled by the same Bulgars who kill her parents. However, after facing this variety of adversities, and thinking that the other is dead, they are somehow, reunited.

Of course everyone thinks that while in Portugal, they will be together, marry, have children and live happily ever after.
However, just like in any soap opera, they are separated again when they get to Buenos Ayres.

This time, if I may dare say, it is Candide’s fault. Basically because the Governor of Buenos Ayres shows his interests on Lady Cunégonde, and asks Candide if she is married to the captain. Candide is not able to lie so he tells the Governor that they will soon be married. Then the Governor asks Candide for some time alone with Cunégonde and Candide as naïve as one can get, leaves them alone. Of course, as any man would, the Governor asks Lady Cunégonde to marry him, and Cunégonde decides to ask the Old Lady for advice, and she as any other woman in the right mind would do tells her to marry the governor.

 I mean if you compare Candide, to this prestigious Governor… You would probably choose the Governor. However, before Lady Cunégonde has a chance to make a decision, some Spaniards are on their way to kill the responsible for the murder of the Great Inquisitor. Candide has to run, and leaves Cunégonde alone.

What’s even worse is that Candide in the middle of his sorrow, says, “My darling Cunégonde, to have to leave you just when the Governor promised to come to our wedding” (pg 61)… its like dude please! How can one be so simple-minded? Seriously.

Poor Candide, he has to face all this obstacles: the competition with a much more powerful man, the rumors that one of them died, the exile one of them has to face to be able to be with his dear Lady Cunégonde. Wait, I think I’ve heard that story before… Oh yeah, in all those corny soap operas I used to watch when I was younger. The ones that keep on getting longer and longer and never seem to end because the main couple keeps on having to face obstacles and you just want them to end up together, happily ever after. But it just won’t end and the real reason behind it is because the ratings are so high the producers can’t end them just now.

That’s exactly what’s happening to Candide.

The difference is that on those shows you know that the couple will somehow overcome anything and end up together. In Candide, I am really not sure. I mean anything can happen.

Will Cunégonde and Candide have a chance to be together forever and have their “happily ever after”?

By the way, just though this would be the perfect song for Candide and Lady Cunégonde.