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¶ … Plague: Albert Camus
Camu's Philosophy
Albert Camus' philosophy is often defined as the "philosophy of the absurd" the idea that life has no rational or real meaning (Ward, 2005). This philosophy is defined through the actions and life of his six characters in his novel The Plague. It is here that Camus attempt o imply that while there is no rational basis for moral order that does not suggest that one should have an indifferent attitude toward moral order. Camus instead presents himself as someone who is optimistic of the future even though he may lack hope. He defines the "absurd hero" as someone who resists the illusion that rational order exists but also resists despair (Ward, 2005).
His philosophy is similar to Existentialism, who tend to assert no rational or moral meaning can be tied to human existence. Unlike existentialist thought however Camus suggests that all humans have an innate capacity to do good but most people fail to ever realize their potential (Ward, 2005; Bronner 1999).
Camus' Characters
In his work The Plague Camus expresses his world view and philosophy through his main characters including: Dr. Bernard Rieux, Jean Tarrou, Joseph Grand, Raymond Rambert, Cottard and Father Paneloux. Of these Dr. Rieux is one of the most influential. As narrator...
Like Camus suggests personal distress does not distract him from his plight, which involves alleviating human suffering, much like Camus suggests in his personal philosophy.
Jean Tarrrou's philosophy is similar to that of Rieux, only more philosophical (Ward, 1995). Tarrous suggests that there is not rational or moral meaning to man's existence however and suggests that meaning is only reaped from life when people struggle nobly against the suffering inevitable during life. Grand on the other hand depicts someone who is consumed by suffering and anxiety, an example of how not to live one's life because such struggle over despair prevents one from living a morally and nobly worthy existence. Rambert also struggles to find meaning but in doing so represents Camu's philosophy well. Cottard is alone and suffers terrible fear, eschewing all social and moral responsibility (Ward, 1995).
He is the embodiment of how one should not live their life if following Camu's philosophy of the absurd or an existentialist existence. Father Paneloux, terrified, finds the plague a punishment sent to mankind for sins committed on earth; he is an example of someone who becomes a citizen to suffering and enslaved to unconscious habits.…
References:
Bronner, Stephen Eric. Camus: Portrait of a Moralist. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999.
Ward, Selena. SparkNote on The Plague. 21 Oct. 2005
<http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/plague/>.
Camus's novel revolves around the idea of love- love for the humanity. Tarrou was a person who had felt that kind of love at a very young age when he went to a court to see his father, an attorney, in action. He recalls: 'the only picture I carried away with me of that day's proceedings was a picture of the criminal. I have little doubt he was guilty
Plague by Albert Camus Applications in 21st Century The thoughtful writings of past are often written so thoroughly that they are applicable even today. One such writing The Plague was written to narrate the fictional plague incidence that is painted to have taken place in 1940. The event was a panic for the people in the story. Albert Camus, the author suggests that human sufferings are often too horrible that the survival
It's the main reason why Camus doesn't make an accent on tragedy of any particular death. A very ironic correlation of life and plague is made by one of Rieux patients for whom plague and life have nearly the same meaning. Plague epidemic is a very talented mystification made by Camus in order to make analogies with real life, where illnesses, suffering and death contribute to the fate of every
Throughout his play, collective devastation is met with personal suffering. It is only when this becomes a shared suffering that it can become a collective way to redemption. The divides of a war now over would give way to this shared experience for all peoples of France, charged with the responsibility of rebuilding. Indeed, this speaks much to the futility of war itself, as spoke by Camus when he resolves
It is true that Grand changes over the book. He finds within himself the words to express himself and knows how he would act differently given the chance. He is redeemed at the end when he overcomes illness. However, it appears that the individuals who are the greatest heroes in real life are those who change the most when confronted with adversity. This is because they are the ones who
Yet, even Tarrou must fall to the plague inevitably. Camus as much as says that while Tarrou's ideals may be beautiful, they are not ultimately the truth: there is no moksha for Tarrou -- only death. Does absurdism expect that one's best course of action is to interact with life at a slight remove -- as Rieux does? No definite answer can be given. Cottard, however, is definitely not the