Comparing Camus And The Myth Of Sisyphus
Existentialists such as Sartre and Kierkegaard advocated for individual meaning and morality in a meaningless world, particularly through one’s actions and responses to consequences. In his essay, “Suicide and Atheism: Camus and The Myth of Sisyphus,” Richard Barnett describes the existential value of choice: “It is in making choices, in asserting our ultimate freedom in the face of an uncaring world, that human life can be lived in its fullest and richest sense” (2). This principle can be applied to many literary characters, including Jean Anouilh’s modern adaptation of Antigone in the eponymous play, Snowman of Margaret Atwood’s novel Oryx and Crake, and Albert Camus’ Meursault in The Stranger. Curiously, though all these characters display
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Instead of complying to her family’s expectation of acquiescence and marriage, Antigone breaks up with her fiancee to sneak out and bury her brother against orders of the king--a crime punishable by death. She understands the dire consequences of this decision, but in a conversation with her sister she explains, “He [King Creon] is bound to put us to death. We are bound to go out and bury our brother” (Anouilh 11). By giving her brother the rites that come with a burial, Antigone fulfills what her moral compass dictates to be her purpose and brings meaning to her life. When caught and asked why she risked her life for something easily undone she states “I want everything of life, I do; and I want it now! I want it total, complete: otherwise I reject it! I will not be moderate. I will not be satisfied with the bit of cake you offer me if I promise to be a good little girl” (Anouilh 42). This thinking closely mirrors existential thought in that she has little care for societal expectations, yet Antigone is not an existential character. Antigone’s “ultimate freedom” is in burying her brother, but she gives up all the possible meaning her life could have in this single act because she is essentially committing suicide. Creon compares her actions to those of her father and Antigone responds, “Yes, I am ugly! Father was ugly, too. But Father became beautiful. And so you know when? At the very end... When it was absolutely certain that nothing, nothing could save him. Then he was at peace, then he could smile, almost; then he became beautiful” (Anouilh 43). Although her stubbornness is admirable, Antigone is unable to live her life to the fullest because of one futile action; the guards can easily unbury her brother but she insists on dying for this cause. Antigone may oppose society by acting on her own agenda, but her refusal to recognize the futility of her action means she is not
Instead of complying to her family’s expectation of acquiescence and marriage, Antigone breaks up with her fiancee to sneak out and bury her brother against orders of the king--a crime punishable by death. She understands the dire consequences of this decision, but in a conversation with her sister she explains, “He [King Creon] is bound to put us to death. We are bound to go out and bury our brother” (Anouilh 11). By giving her brother the rites that come with a burial, Antigone fulfills what her moral compass dictates to be her purpose and brings meaning to her life. When caught and asked why she risked her life for something easily undone she states “I want everything of life, I do; and I want it now! I want it total, complete: otherwise I reject it! I will not be moderate. I will not be satisfied with the bit of cake you offer me if I promise to be a good little girl” (Anouilh 42). This thinking closely mirrors existential thought in that she has little care for societal expectations, yet Antigone is not an existential character. Antigone’s “ultimate freedom” is in burying her brother, but she gives up all the possible meaning her life could have in this single act because she is essentially committing suicide. Creon compares her actions to those of her father and Antigone responds, “Yes, I am ugly! Father was ugly, too. But Father became beautiful. And so you know when? At the very end... When it was absolutely certain that nothing, nothing could save him. Then he was at peace, then he could smile, almost; then he became beautiful” (Anouilh 43). Although her stubbornness is admirable, Antigone is unable to live her life to the fullest because of one futile action; the guards can easily unbury her brother but she insists on dying for this cause. Antigone may oppose society by acting on her own agenda, but her refusal to recognize the futility of her action means she is not