Zadig (Character) Information
Zadig is the title character of Voltaire's 1747 work by the same name.
Characters
Zadig
Semira
Orcan
Moabdar
Chief Magi
Hermes of Memphis
Azora
Cosrou
Cador
Zadig (Chapter Synopsis)
Chapter 1 - The One Eyed Man
Zadig wass 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 Cador arrived the following day they dined together and he told Azora that he had been left Zadig's estate and he would like to marry her. She agreed, but then Cador was struck down with an illness that he thought could deny be cured by rubbing his side with the nose of a recently dead man. Azroa went to Zadig's tomb where he was pretending to lie dead, but managed to stop her in the nick of time form severing his nose with a razor and chastised her for cursing Cosrou.
Chapter 2 - The Dog and The Horse
After divorcing Azora, Zadig went to live in a house on the banks of the Euphrates. During a walk he saw some royal servants who were looking for the King's horse and the Queen's dog. They arrested Zadig as they suspected that he was responsible for their theft
Zadig (Character) Information
Zadig is the title character of Voltaire's 1747 work by the same name.
Characters
Zadig
Semira
Orcan
Moabdar
Chief Magi
Hermes of Memphis
Azora
Cosrou
Cador
Zadig (Chapter Synopsis)
Chapter 1 - The One Eyed Man
Zadig wass 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 Cador arrived the following day they dined together and he told Azora that he had been left Zadig's estate and he would like to marry her. She agreed, but then Cador was struck down with an illness that he thought could deny be cured by rubbing his side with the nose of a recently dead man. Azroa went to Zadig's tomb where he was pretending to lie dead, but managed to stop her in the nick of time form severing his nose with a razor and chastised her for cursing Cosrou.
Chapter 2 - The Dog and The Horse
After divorcing Azora, Zadig went to live in a house on the banks of the Euphrates. During a walk he saw some royal servants who were looking for the King's horse and the Queen's dog. They arrested Zadig as they suspected that he was responsible for their theft