Final answer:
The irony in Voltaire's 'Candide' concerning the slave's mutilation is a critique of the coexistence of Enlightenment ideals and the violent reality of slavery, intended to evoke a moral reckoning regarding the institution's inherent cruelty and injustice.
Step-by-step explanation:
The irony or hypocrisy in Voltaire's Candide of the enslaved individual losing his hand and leg lies in the stark contrast between the Enlightenment ideals of 'Liberte' and 'Egalite' and the brutal reality of slavery. Despite the proclaimed values of freedom and equality, slaves were subjected to extreme violence and dehumanization, as illustrated by the slave's mutilation. The compassion that Voltaire invokes for the character, particularly when considering the slaveholder's perspective, is meant to highlight this inconsistency and provoke a moral reckoning in his audience regarding the cruelty and injustice inherent in the institution of slavery. This juxtaposition serves as a poignant critique of the societal and moral failings of the time, where lofty ideals coexisted with the stark inhumanity of chattel slavery.