François-marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, lived in a time of unrest. Born into a bourgeois family in Paris, Arouet witnessed a population in crushing poverty while the French aristocracy ruled with an implacable hierarchy under strict law. During this time, the Enlightenment movement spread across Europe and stimulated the questioning of intellectual ideas, human equality, fundamental rights, and more. The movement emphasized the importance of objectivity and scientific reasoning. Such a mixed environment gave Voltaire a multifaceted knowledge of society. During his youth at a Jesuit college, Voltaire had demonstrated his intelligence in rhetorical speeches and controversial writings. He later served briefly as French ambassador to Holland, but soon decided to devote his life to writing. His words attacked the high aristocracy and even states or churches. In the early 1750s, the specters of injustice and terrible disasters in Europe shocked the general public and attracted the attention of writers, including Voltaire. Candide was published in 1759. The books included true historical events such as the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, the horrific Seven Years' War in the German States in 1756, and the controversial death of English Admiral John Byng in 1757. Embedded with intriguing, ideologically provoking plot and thought, Candide is a representative masterpiece of Enlightenment writings and addresses various topics such as religious tolerance and basic human rights. This article will focus on examining the situation of women in early modern times. The female characters in Candide are all underdeveloped and do not occupy a substantial place in the development of the plot. They are depicted as being physically inferior and subject to horrible rape and misfortune. They suffer despite everything... middle of paper ......appreciable as the old woman points out. We can thus see that human beings suffer not only from external factors such as violent wars and religious oppression, but also from their intrinsic flaws and restlessness. It can be caused by the absence of suffering instead of the absence of happiness. The experiences of Cunégonde and the old woman insinuate the exploitation of women in the 19th century. Some women may have greater knowledge because of the experience they have, but this knowledge cannot help them become an independent entity. This can only help them understand the lower status and survive better in the male-dominated society. How does the situation of women compare to that of men (in the novel and in society)? How were women described and treated? What role did beauty and sexuality play? play in women's lives? What was the role of women in society?