The Myth of Sisyphus
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3.9 • 10 Ratings
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
The Myth of Sisyphus (French: Le Mythe de Sisyphe) is a 1942 philosophical essay by Albert Camus.
Influenced by philosophers such as Søren Kierkegaard, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Friedrich Nietzsche, Camus introduces his philosophy of the absurd. The absurd lies in the juxtaposition between the fundamental human need to attribute meaning to life and the "unreasonable silence" of the universe in response. Does the realization of the absurd require suicide? Camus answers, "No. It requires revolt." He then outlines several approaches to the absurd life. In the final chapter, Camus compares the absurdity of man's life with the situation of Sisyphus, a figure of Greek mythology who was condemned to repeat forever the same meaningless task of pushing a boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again. The essay concludes, "The struggle itself ... is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy".
The work can be seen in relation to other absurdist works by Camus: the novel The Stranger (1942), the plays The Misunderstanding (1942) and Caligula (1944), and especially the essay The Rebel (1951).
Customer Reviews
Concept & Diction
This books concept is fascinating, I find myself going back to it and wanting to read it often. The topic is very on point for todays day in age where people feel lost and try to seek the meaning of life (sometimes without hope) I feel like the authors choice of diction was probably more appropriate for his time as he generally speaks in terms that I have to research to understand what he means. Nothing wrong with learning obviously, however it’s not something you can sit down and read without have to pause unless you have a widely expanded vocabulary.