Love for life and hatred for death is a malady that most of us suffer from. If there were a person who suffered from it the most, it was Sisyphus. The legendary Greek poet, Homer tells us that Sisyphus had put Death in chains so that no human being had to die ever. The God of Death, Pluto could not endure the sight of Death in chains and promptly sent god of war to punish Sisyphus. Sisyphus was condemned to ceaselessly rolling a big stone to the top of a mountain whence the stone would fall back of its own weight and Sisyphus will again have to take it up the mountain. This punishment of hopelessly unending and futile labor was considered to be most dreadful that could have been inflicted upon Sisyphus for his sin.
This meaningless nature of life was the subject of the famous philosophical essay “The Myth of Sisyphus” written by Albert Camus. He presents Sisyphus's ceaseless and pointless toil as a metaphor for modern lives spent working on futile jobs in factories and offices. People today work every day on the same task that has no end and purpose that is absent. It is tragic however only at the rare moments when man becomes conscious of its futility. Camus dwells upon Sisyphus' thoughts when the stone has rushed down and he is marching down the mountain, to start afresh.
This essay introduced the philosophy of the absurd. In this philosophy he wonders what a man should do when he fails to find meaning, unity and purpose in his life. Should he commit suicide? The answer that Camus gives is No, as suicide is also meaningless and absurd. What is needed is a revolt, a constant confrontation against this absurdity.
Albert Camus was a French author, journalist, and one of the most important philosophers of 20th century. He was born in French Algeria to a Spanish mother who was half deaf and father who was an agricultural worker. His father died in WW I in 1914 and Camus passed his childhood in poverty with his mother. He was a bright student and was admitted to University of Algiers. He was also the goalkeeper of the university football team though he had to give up football later as he contracted Tuberculosis.
He was always politically active and was in and out of the communist party of France and Algerian People’s Party. He also participated in the Hungarian revolution. He always sided with parties that promised anarchy. He argued passionately against the institution of marriage though he married twice, first to Simone Hie, a morphine addict and later to Francine Faure, a pianist and mathematician. He also conducted numerous affairs, most famous of them being the one with the Spanish-born actress and star of Parisian theatre Maria Casares.
Camus was always bracketed with Jean Paul Sartre as a fellow Existentialist who together promoted the cause of absurdism. Camus remarked to Sartre "If nothing had any meaning, you would be right. But there is something that still has a meaning” and this he ascribed to qualities that people imbibe when they play football or any sport. These qualities he mentioned as camaraderie, solidarity, joint effort, cooperation etc.
Camus was awarded Nobel prize for literature in 1957 “for his important literary production, which with clear-sighted earnestness illuminates the problems of the human conscience in our times". He was youngest recipient of Nobel prize for literature after Rudyard Kipling and first African-born writer to have won this award. He died two years after receiving the award in a car accident. From his pocket was found a train ticket which he was to board and he did not and took the car ride instead with his publisher who also died in this accident.
This meaningless nature of life was the subject of the famous philosophical essay “The Myth of Sisyphus” written by Albert Camus. He presents Sisyphus's ceaseless and pointless toil as a metaphor for modern lives spent working on futile jobs in factories and offices. People today work every day on the same task that has no end and purpose that is absent. It is tragic however only at the rare moments when man becomes conscious of its futility. Camus dwells upon Sisyphus' thoughts when the stone has rushed down and he is marching down the mountain, to start afresh.
This essay introduced the philosophy of the absurd. In this philosophy he wonders what a man should do when he fails to find meaning, unity and purpose in his life. Should he commit suicide? The answer that Camus gives is No, as suicide is also meaningless and absurd. What is needed is a revolt, a constant confrontation against this absurdity.
Albert Camus was a French author, journalist, and one of the most important philosophers of 20th century. He was born in French Algeria to a Spanish mother who was half deaf and father who was an agricultural worker. His father died in WW I in 1914 and Camus passed his childhood in poverty with his mother. He was a bright student and was admitted to University of Algiers. He was also the goalkeeper of the university football team though he had to give up football later as he contracted Tuberculosis.
He was always politically active and was in and out of the communist party of France and Algerian People’s Party. He also participated in the Hungarian revolution. He always sided with parties that promised anarchy. He argued passionately against the institution of marriage though he married twice, first to Simone Hie, a morphine addict and later to Francine Faure, a pianist and mathematician. He also conducted numerous affairs, most famous of them being the one with the Spanish-born actress and star of Parisian theatre Maria Casares.
Camus was always bracketed with Jean Paul Sartre as a fellow Existentialist who together promoted the cause of absurdism. Camus remarked to Sartre "If nothing had any meaning, you would be right. But there is something that still has a meaning” and this he ascribed to qualities that people imbibe when they play football or any sport. These qualities he mentioned as camaraderie, solidarity, joint effort, cooperation etc.
Camus was awarded Nobel prize for literature in 1957 “for his important literary production, which with clear-sighted earnestness illuminates the problems of the human conscience in our times". He was youngest recipient of Nobel prize for literature after Rudyard Kipling and first African-born writer to have won this award. He died two years after receiving the award in a car accident. From his pocket was found a train ticket which he was to board and he did not and took the car ride instead with his publisher who also died in this accident.
Sir..
ReplyDeleteBut we are surrounded by responsibilities which prompts us to do mundane jobs.It is almost impossible to revolt against the system. It is normally perceived as a misfit and we will be forced out of the society.In that case, even earning for bread and butter becomes a huge task.
Sir,
ReplyDeleteOur life also seems to be futile sometimes running after materialistic things and in the way leaving behind the real essence of life.But this is how the way we had to live on to survive in this society. Many a times its not us but the society which decides our fate, the path we will take on in our life..
I think it is here that various sacred religious texts and examples of great men show us light.
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