Introduction to Existentialism Literature and Philosophy

What is philosophy? What does it all mean? Why are we here? What should I do with my life? Philosophers analyze, they pick apart, and then they try to come up with reasons for their beliefs and reasoned answers for their questions.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LOVE IT YOU JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IT. WARNING: EXISTENTIALISM DEALS WITH INTENSE THEOLOGICAL (“RELIGIOUS STUDY”) AND ONTOLOGICAL (“STUDY OF BEING”) AS WELL AS EPISTEMOLOGICAL (“STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE”) ISSUES. THIS CLASS IS NOT ENDORSING EXISTENTIALISM AS BEING ANYTHING MORE THAN MERE THEORY. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LEARNING THE TENETS OF EXISTENTIALISM AND RELATING THEM TO LITERATURE. EXISTENTIALISM CAN BE A WEE BIT DEPRESSING IT TENDS TO PROJECT A “LIFE-IS-MEANINGLESS, GLASS-HALF-EMPTY” SORT OF VIEW ON THINGS. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LOVE IT YOU JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IT.

The Problem of Meaning Humans crave meaning A universe that makes sense Create stories to make sense out of the universe; but when the universe doesn’t cooperate you feel like a stranger in the world

EXISTENTIALISM A complex philosophy emphasizing the existence of the human being, the lack of meaning and purpose in life, and the solitude of human existence… ANDREW WYETH Christina’s World (1948)

It was during the Second World War, when Europe found itself in a crisis faced with death and destruction, that the existential movement began to flourish, popularized in France in the 1940s… GEORGIO DE CHIRICO Love Song

Two Different Types of Existentialists Godly (Kierkegaard; Marcel and Maritain (Catholic); Tillich and Berdyaev (Protestant) and Buber (Jewish)) Believe God exists, but people are alienated from Him. Man is alienated from his God-like self, and the problem of his life is trying to close that gap freedom involves accepting the responsibility for choice and committing to the choice Ungodly (Sartre and Camus) Do not believe God exists. “Because there is no God to give purpose to the universe, each man must accept individual responsibility for his own becoming.” In choosing for himself, he chooses for all men “the image of man as he ought to be.” He has to make good choices that others could follow

Big Ideas of Existentialism Despite encompassing a huge range of philosophical, religious, and political ideologies, the underlying concepts of existentialism are simple… MARK ROTHKO Untitled (1968)

Existence Precedes Essence Cogito ergo sum. Existence Precedes Essence I think therefore I am “Existence precedes essence” implies that the human being has no essence (no essential self).

Existence Before Essence People are born like a blank slate and create their essence or being through their unique experiences.

Tenant 1: Absurdism The belief nothing can explain or rationalize human existence. There is no answer to “Why am I?” Humans exist in a meaningless, irrational universe and any search for order will bring them into direct conflict with this universe.

#2:Alienation or Estrangement From all other humans From human institutions From the past From the future We only exist right now, right here… EDGAR DEGAS “L’absinthe” (1876)

Nothingness and Death EDVARD MUNCH Night in Saint Cloud (1890)

#3: Nothingness and Death Death hangs over all of us. Our awareness of it can bring freedom or anguish. “Nothingness is our inherent lack of self. We are in constant pursuit of a self. Nothingness is the creative well-spring from which all human possibilities can be realized.” –Jean-Paul Sartre

#4: Freedom: Choice and Commitment Humans have freedom to choose Each individual makes choices that create his or her own nature Because we choose, we must accept risk and responsibility for wherever our commitments take us “A human being is absolutely free and absolutely responsible. Anguish is the result.” –Jean-Paul Sartre

Dread and Anxiety MAN RAY Les Larmes (Tears)

#5: Dread and Anxiety Anxiety stems from our understanding and recognition of the total freedom of choice that confronts us every moment, and the individual’s confrontation with nothingness.

The Big Names of Existentialism Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger

Some Famous Existentialists “A woman is not born…she is created.” Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) Albert Camus (1913-1960) “A woman is not born…she is created.” de Beauvoir’s most famous text is The Second Sex (1949), which some claim is the basis for current gender studies…

Nihilism is the state of belief in nothing “When you ain’t got nothin’, you got nothing to lose.” (Bob Dylan) A nihilist refuses to see this possibility. For the nihilist, when you ain’t got nothin’, you got nothing to win

Existential Literature Three people to know: Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-80), Albert Camus (1913-60) and Simone de Beauvoir (1908-86)

Albert Camus: The Smiling Sisyphus

Born Nov. 7, 1913 in Mondovi, French Algeria Father dies in 1914 during World War I, only story Albert knows is that his father became violently ill at a public execution. Mother was illiterate, partially deaf, and afflicted with a speech disorder – very poor. Attended elementary in a school close to a Moslem community and saw first-hand the idea of the “outsider” he would later develop.

Significant Events High school: developed a lifetime love for literature, theater, and film. Also enjoyed soccer for sport and the life lessons it taught him “I learned . . . that a ball never arrives from a direction you expected it. That helped me later in life, especially in mainland France, where nobody plays straight.”

Significant Events Briefly joined the Communist Party but was disillusioned by the mindless, even absurd, work he was assigned to do. In the 1940’s his writing began to attract international attention. In 1957, he was awarded the Nobel Prize. He was grateful, but he felt he had not yet achieved the fame such an award indicated.

Significant Events On January 4, 1960, Camus died tragically in a car accident.

The Myth of Sisyphus Camus publishes this non-fiction work a year after completing The Stranger. In this retelling of the myth of Sisyphus, he embodies his concept of the Absurd. The story concludes with Camus’ pivotal philosophical statement: “The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.” To understand his point, we must understand the themes that his writing explores.

L’Étranger (The Stranger or The Outsider) Written by Albert Camus in 1942 (who did not sail the ocean blue)

Albert Camus The Stranger A tale of absurdity, death, and coming to grips with the meaning of one’s existence. No single work by any existentialist has reached more people directly The Nobel Prize for literature in 1957

Themes of Albert Camus The Absurd Revolt The Outsider Guilt and Innocence Christianity vs. Paganism Individual vs. History and Mass Culture Suicide The Death Penalty

never predictable nor controllable. Camus’ Absurd World The world of values is never predictable nor controllable.

Revolt “A spirit of opposition against any perceived unfairness, oppression, or indignity in the human condition.” This idea runs counter to existentialism as it proposes that there is a common good that is more important than one’s destiny. True revolt is performed out of compassion for others.

The Outsider “The `stranger’ or the outsider observes everything, even his own behavior, from an outside perspective.” Camus lived most of his life being in various groups without being of them. This view requires a “zero- degree” objectivity about everything. Camus had this with friends and community.

Guilt and Innocence Paganism vs. Christianity Camus respects the Christianity even uses many Christian symbols in his writing, but he maintains Pagan world views. There is no clear answer to this in The Stranger. The reader must decide if the character is legally innocent of the murder he is charged with or if he is technically guilty? It is the struggle between universal guilt (original sin) and universal innocence (pagan primitivism) “I continue to believe that this world has no supernatural meaning . . . But I know that something in this world has meaning – man.”

Individual vs. History and Mass Culture Modern life has an alienating and dehumanizing effect of man. We live in an age that is becoming more impersonal everyday. If anything, modern man lives the drudgery of Sisyphus in meaningless jobs with mind-numbing repetitions.

Suicide Death Penalty This, for Camus, is the fundamental issue for moral philosophy as it represents the only possible response to the Absurd. In the end, the morally valid response is to continue living. Camus opposes the death penalty in all of his writings. He considered it “the most premeditated of murders” because it causes the victim to suffer his death every day until it happens.

Existentialism? Although Camus was personally committed to values such as individualism, free choice, inner strength, authenticity, personal responsibility, and self determination, he repeatedly denied that he was an existentialist. Although he embraced many of the ideas, he believed that for one to be considered anything one must commit themselves totally to that doctrine, he was unwilling to do this.