Punishments of Candide: Too harsh?

                                                               Throughout the novel, we witness Candide having to endure drastic consequences for simple mistakes. I definitely believe that Candide's punishments were too harsh.I also believe that the harshness of Candide's punishments were always a form of satire on Voltaire's part to illustrate to society how dramatic we can be & overreact to certain situations. As humans, we judge & persecute each other heavily for things that can be viewed as simple mistakes, like when Candide was kicked out of the castle for having illicit relations with Cunegonde, although Candide was only imitating something he'd seen. Just like in today's society how people judge others heavily for their sexual endeavors for whatever their reasons are. It's unnecessary, and I believe with all of Candide's punishments, they were only so harsh to stir a reaction from the reader and hopefully get them to make the connection with their own society. Although it's more than likely much more mild.