Albert Camus

Albert Camus[1†]

Albert Camus (7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, journalist, and political activist[1†]. Born in Mondovi, Algeria, Camus was a representative of non-metropolitan French literature[1†][2†]. His experiences in Algeria during the 1930s were dominating influences in his thought and work[1†][2†]. He is best known for his novels such as “L’Étranger” (1942; The Stranger), “La Peste” (1947; The Plague), and “La Chute” (1956; The Fall), and for his work in leftist causes[1†][3†][1†].

Camus was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, making him the second-youngest recipient in history[1†]. His philosophical views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism[1†]. Despite some considering Camus’ work to show him to be an existentialist, he himself firmly rejected the term throughout his lifetime[1†].

Early Years and Education

Albert Camus was born on November 7, 1913, in a working-class neighborhood in Mondovi (present-day Dréan), in French Algeria[1†]. His mother, Catherine Hélène Camus (née Sintès), was of French descent with Balearic Spanish ancestry[1†]. His father, Lucien Camus, a poor French agricultural worker, was killed in action during World War I[1†]. After his father’s death, Camus, his mother, and other relatives lived without many basic material possessions during his childhood in the Belcourt section of Algiers[1†].

Camus’s early education was marked by hardship, but he was fortunate to be taught by an outstanding teacher, Louis Germain, who helped him win a scholarship to attend high school in Algiers[1†][3†][4†]. He was a brilliant student of philosophy at the University of Algiers[1†][5†], focusing on the comparison of Hellenism (ideals associated with Ancient Greece) and Christianity[1†][5†]. His academic prowess was evident, and he was particularly influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche and ancient Greek philosophers[1†][4†].

His early years in Algeria and his experiences during this time were significant influences in his life and work[1†][3†]. He reflected on these years in two collections of essays: “The Wrong Side and the Right Side” (1937) and “Nuptials” (1938)[1†][3†]. These works contrast the fragile mortality of human beings with the enduring nature of the physical world[1†][3†].

Career Development and Achievements

Albert Camus made his debut in 1937[6†]. His breakthrough came with the novel “L’Étranger” (The Stranger), published in 1942[6†]. This novel, along with his other works such as “La Peste” (The Plague, 1947), and “La Chute” (The Fall, 1956), are best known for their exploration of the theme of the absurdity of life[6†][3†][1†][6†].

Camus was also a playwright and journalist[6†]. He was in Paris when the Germans invaded France during World War II in 1940[6†][1†]. Unable to flee, Camus joined the French Resistance where he served as editor-in-chief at Combat, an outlawed newspaper[6†][1†].

Camus was politically active and was part of the left that opposed Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union because of their totalitarianism[6†][1†]. He was a moralist and leaned towards anarcho-syndicalism[6†][1†]. He was part of many organisations seeking European integration[6†][1†].

During the Algerian War (1954–1962), he maintained a neutral stance, advocating for a multicultural and pluralistic Algeria, a position that was rejected by most parties[6†][1†].

Camus’s philosophical views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism[6†][1†]. Despite some considering Camus’ work to show him to be an existentialist, he himself firmly rejected the term throughout his lifetime[6†][1†].

In recognition of his significant literary and philosophical contributions, Camus was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957, at the age of 44, making him the second-youngest recipient in history[6†][1†].

First Publication of His Main Works

Albert Camus’s literary career spanned several decades, during which he produced numerous novels, essays, and plays that have had a profound influence on literature. Here are some of his most notable works:

• The Stranger (L’Étranger): Published in 1942, this novel is one of Camus’s most famous works. It tells the story of Meursault, a French Algerian who lives his life with dispassionate indifference, leading to a tragic conclusion[1†][3†][7†].
• The Plague (La Peste): This novel, published in 1947, is a profound reflection on the human condition, set in a town gripped by a deadly plague. It explores themes of suffering, exile, and the absurd[1†][3†][7†].
• The Myth of Sisyphus (Le Mythe de Sisyphe): This philosophical essay, published in 1942, introduces one of Camus’s most famous philosophical concepts: the absurd. It argues that life is inherently meaningless, but that we must continue to seek meaning nonetheless[1†][7†].
• The Fall (La Chute): Published in 1956, this novel is a complex exploration of guilt, judgment, and the fall from grace, set in the seedy underworld of Amsterdam[1†][3†][7†].
• The Rebel (L’Homme révolté): This work, published in 1951, is an extended essay on the nature of rebellion and revolution. It critiques both the unrestrained violence of historical revolutions and the complacency of the established order[1†].

These works, among others, have cemented Camus’s place as a significant figure in 20th-century literature. His exploration of themes such as the absurd, existentialism, and rebellion have left a lasting impact on philosophical and literary thought[1†][3†][7†].

Analysis and Evaluation

Albert Camus was an important novelist and playwright as well as a philosophical essayist and journalist[8†]. He translated and adapted the works of Spanish, Russian, and American writers such as Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Lope de Vega Carpio, Fyodor Dostoevski, William Faulkner, and James Thurber[8†]. His writings and personal commitment to revolt remain far less appreciated and/or understood than those addressing the absurd[8†][9†].

Camus’s durability may, in the final analysis, rest as much on the character of the writer as on his art[8†]. He is considered by many to have been the outstanding figure in his generation of French letters, rivaled only by his sometime friend and colleague Jean-Paul Sartre[8†]. His works provoked thoughtful discussion concerning the human condition and the themes of absurdity, revolt, and fraternity found in the human struggle[8†].

Despite a lifelong interest and participation in the theater, frequently as actor or director, Albert Camus never achieved with his plays the success that his essays and prose fiction enjoyed[8†]. Still, the plays are valuable for their development of the themes that preoccupied him throughout his career[8†].

Camus’s principal achievement centers on his refusal to make a distinction between his writings and his own actions. In his works, these actions take “form” in his protests against racism, intolerance, and human indignity, wherever they may be found[8†].

Personal Life

Albert Camus was married twice but had many extramarital affairs[1†]. His first marriage was to Simone Hié in 1934, but they divorced in 1936[1†]. He then married Francine Faure in 1940[1†]. Despite his marriages, Camus expressed his disapproval of the institution of marriage[1†][10†].

Camus was politically active and was part of the left that opposed Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union because of their totalitarianism[1†]. He was a moralist and leaned towards anarcho-syndicalism[1†]. He was part of many organizations seeking European integration[1†].

During the Algerian War (1954–1962), he kept a neutral stance, advocating for a multicultural and pluralistic Algeria, a position that was rejected by most parties[1†].

Conclusion and Legacy

Albert Camus’ legacy is vast and enduring. As a novelist, playwright, moralist, and political theorist, he became the voice of his generation and a mentor for the next, not only in France but also in Europe and eventually the world[11†]. His writings, which primarily addressed the isolation of man in an alien universe, the estrangement of the individual from himself, the problem of evil, and the pressing finality of death, accurately reflected the alienation and disillusionment of the postwar intellectual[11†].

Camus is often remembered, along with Sartre, as a leading practitioner of the existential novel[11†]. Despite understanding the nihilism of many of his contemporaries, Camus argued the necessity of defending values such as truth, moderation, and justice[11†]. In his later works, he outlined a liberal humanism that rejected the dogmatic aspects of both Christianity and Marxism[11†].

Camus’ influence extends beyond literature into the realms of philosophy, ethics, and politics[11†][12†]. His contributions to existentialism and absurdism have shaped academic discourse and influenced popular culture, with his ideas being referenced in films, music, and art[11†][12†].

He wielded his pen against the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, the Franco dictatorship in Spain, the horror of Soviet gulags, and the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany[11†][13†]. His work often touched on themes of justice, freedom, and revolt[11†][13†].

Camus’ philosophy of meaninglessness or absurdity is a consequence of two forces: humankind’s thirst for meaning and the world’s silence[11†][14†]. For Camus, it becomes ‘I rebel, therefore we are’[11†][14†]. In a nutshell, that is Camus’ diagnosis and cure for our absurd condition[11†][14†].

Camus’ position is that there is no reason for hope but that is no reason for despair[11†][14†]. As we learn at the end of The Plague, we will never be able to defeat the plague once and for all[11†][14†].

Key Information

• Also Known As: Unknown
• Born: Albert Camus was born on November 7, 1913, in Mondovi, Algeria[3†][1†].
• Died: He died on January 4, 1960, near Sens, France[3†][1†].
• Nationality: French[3†][1†].
• Occupation: Philosopher, author, dramatist, journalist, and political activist[3†][1†].
• Notable Works: His notable works include “L’Étranger” (1942; The Stranger), “La Peste” (1947; The Plague), “La Chute” (1956; The Fall), and "The Rebel"[3†][1†].
• Notable Achievements: He was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, making him the second-youngest recipient in history[3†][1†].

References and Citations:

1. Wikipedia (English) - Albert Camus [website] - link
2. The Nobel Prize - Albert Camus – Biographical [website] - link
3. Britannica - Albert Camus: French author [website] - link
4. Literary Devices - Albert Camus [website] - link
5. Encyclopedia of World Biography - Albert Camus Biography [website] - link
6. The Nobel Prize - Albert Camus – Facts [website] - link
7. Britannica - What are some of Albert Camus’s most famous works? [website] - link
8. eNotes - Albert Camus Analysis [website] - link
9. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews - Albert Camus: From the Absurd to Revolt [website] - link
10. Biography - Albert Camus [website] - link
11. Britannica - Albert Camus - Existentialism, Absurdism, Nobel Prize [website] - link
12. Literature Legends - 5 Reasons Albert Camus' Works Transcend Time [website] - link
13. France 24 - Looking back at the legacy of Albert Camus, 60 years after his death [website] - link
14. RFI - Life after death: the lasting legacy of Albert Camus [website] - link