Cunegonde

Cunegonde is a fictional character in the novel Candide. She is the title character's aristocratic cousin.

At the beginning of the story, Candide is chased away from his uncle's home after he is caught kissing Cunegonde. Shortly afterwards, Cunegonde's family is attacked by a band of marauding soldiers and she is taken prisoner. However, Cunegonde soon becomes the mistress of two wealthy Portuguese who decide to share her between them. Candide kills the two men and he, Cunegonde and the Old Woman (Cunegonde's servant) flee to Buenos Aires.

There, Cunegonde becomes the mistress of the provincial governor. Since Candide is wanted for the murders of the two Portuguese, he is forced to leave her in Buenos Aires. However he vows to find her and marry her. Finally, near the end of the novel, Candide finds Cunegonde near Constantinople, but she has lost her beauty. Candide reluctantly agrees to marry her.