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Existentialism in World Literature

The Indian Review of World Literature in English, Vol. 1, No. I – Jan, 2005 EXISTENTIALISM IN ANITA DESAI’S FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN NAGAPPAN SETHURAMAN Existentialism as a philosophy is historically and culturally of European origin. Ever since it was recognised as the dominating philosophy of the West in the midtwentieth century, it has left “its impact on literature [which] has both been substantial and significant” (Chatterji 10). Existentialism does not offer a set of doctrines or a single philosophy […]

Existentialism in Heart of Darkness

In the novel Heart of Darkness, Conrad explores existential nihilism, which is the belief that the world is without meaning or purpose. Through the protagonist Marlow, Conrad introduces the story of those on board the steamship Nellie that are unaware of their own meaninglessness. Their voyage through the African Congo depicts the absurdity of man’s existence and the decay of human ideals in the chaos of the Belgian Congo. Any attempt at avoiding the darkness that exists in the chaotic […]

Existentialism and the Absurdity in the Stranger

Throughout the novel the Stranger, Camus beliefs of existentialism and the absurdity of life are portrayed through the protagonist Meursault’s. Existentialism is the belief that existence precedes essence and that there is no true purpose to human life. Existentialism is seen throughout Meursault when he shows no emotion to the death of his mother, when he describes events in purely physical context, and the way that Meursault views life as meaningless, but does not seek any purpose for his life. […]

Existentialism in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

In tragic novel Hamlet, Hamlet ,the protagonist, is a very distinct character with traits that make him one of the most intriguing and fascinating characters to ever be written. After his father’s questionable death, Hamlet has become tentative, pessimistic, and dissatisfied. Furthermore, Hamlet holds now revulsion for his stepfather’s scheming and his mother’s lust and frailty-after their mistimed marriage. Hamlet’s enigmatic and paradoxical nature draws the readers to the character. He is at once an ultimate iconoclast, in a self-loathing […]

Albert Camus and the Philosophy of the Absurd

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”- Albert Camus. This quote of Camus having association with so many abstractness prompts to put his philosophy under scrutiny. Post WWII trend – “Existentialism” gives emphasis to individual Choice, freedom and existence by rejecting conventional human nature which are dependent on our environment, social structure and genetics. Another prominent view of Camus revolved around “Absurdism”, reflecting […]

A Life Worth Living: Albert Camus on our Search for Meaning

I have not prepared for life or even college in the most traditional manner: I didn’t always have a place to call home, I didn’t have happily married parents, I didn’t have a town that I could grow up in; rather I lived in and out of different homes, I was raised by a single mother, and moved to a new school every year (sometimes more). But, I was also born with everything: a mother that loved me, people who […]

Albert Camus and Franz Kafka

Albert Camus and Franz Kafka focus on the same genre of literature, in addition to containing work which flourished as part of the existential movement. ‘Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one’s acts’ (All About Philosophy 2014). Both Kafka and Camus immerse distinct styles into their writing through their philosophies. […]

Ernest Hemingway’s Short Story a Clean Well-Lighted Place

The end of Ernest Hemingway’s short story, A Clean Well-Lighted Place is significant to the story on the whole because it vaguely but poignantly describes the personal and existential sense of self that defines the human condition for some. Hemingway accomplishes this through expert use of short and vague transitions and parallels between the older waiter and others in the story. One of the hallmarks of Hemingway’s writing style is this extreme conservation of words to the point of deliberate […]

Jean-Paul Sartre “Bad Faith”

Bad faith by Jean-Paul Sartre notes that human beings when they are under pressure act irrationally where they end up adopting false values by disowning their innate freedom due to the pressure of social forces. This is a close reflection of self-deception and resentment due to factors and conditions which an individual can not be able to change. Existentialism through a critical claim notes that human beings are free to make their choices and guide their life towards the path […]

Existentialist Idea in the Stranger Book

In the book The Stranger, Albert Camus highlights many motifs to show his existentialist ideas. Camus does this by incorporating concepts of isolation, emotionless and sadness into his main character, Meursault. Meursault struggles with fitting in the norms of society and realizing that there is more to life than he believes. Camus highlights his existential ideas through his use of motifs showing how Meursault struggles to show emotion and create meaning of life. Camus emphasizes his existentialist ideas by characterizing […]

Existential Psychology

Existential theory is the emphasize on the isolation and uniqueness of an individual within a different universe , the regards of the unexplainable state of human existence and the stress on the freedom of responsibility and choice on the acts that one does . It is a basic tool that is used to grant therapeutic assistance to a person in discovering the concepts held in his /her life . This is in aid of bringing a concise meaning about an […]

Existentialism Essays