Revision as of 12:06, 17 February 2018

Zadig (Character)

Zadig is the title character of Voltaire's 1747 work by the same name.

Zadig (Chapter Synopsis)

Characters

Zadig

Semira

Orcan

Moabdar

Chief Magi

Hermes of Memphis

Azora

Cosrou

Cador

Chapter 1 - The One Eyed Man

Zadig is a well born, educated, rich young philosopher living in Babylon under King Moabdar. Whilst walking hand in hand with Semira, who was soon to become his wife, they were attacked by a group of thugs. They were sent by Orcan, fired by his own feeling of inferiority rather than of true love, in order to kidnap Semira and steal her away from her true love Zadig for himself. In the subsequent fight Zadig and his servants fought off their attackers and they were able to escape, though Zadig had been badly wounded in the right eye. Semira prayed for his speedy recovery and sent for the physician Hermes of Memphis. Hermes declared that Zadig's eye would shortly be lost, which resulted in Semira abandoning her marriage to Zadig and eloping with Orcan as she had an incurable aversion to one eyed men. Zadig descended in to a fit of melancholy, not least because Hermes' diagnosis was incorrect and his eye recovered fully. However, he was soon married to another well bred lady: Azora, and they enjoyed a happy marriage- for the first month at least...

Chapter 2 - The Nose

Azora returned from a walk in the country angered by meeting the recent widow Cosrou. At the peak of her grief she had vowed not to leave her husband's monument for the amount of time it took the river that passed by his tomb changed course. She subsequently was found by Azora trying to divert the river herself to release her form her sacred vow. Zadig was somewhat put out by Azora's remonstrations and decided to test her with the help of his great friend Cador. The two friends arranged for the household servants to wait for Azora to return from another trip away and tell her that Zadig had died the previous evening. Azora struck by grief vowed to stay by his side for the rest of her natural life. When Cadr arrive the following day they dined together and