“I had a precise plan when I began my work. What I wanted to express first was negation. In three ways: in novel form (which produced The Outsider); in theatrical form (which produced Caligula and Cross Purposes); and in essay form (The Myth of Sisyphus). Then I foresaw three more works expressing positive values: in the form of a novel (The Plague); as theatre (State of Siege and Les Justes); and in an essay (Rebellion and Revolt). I also dimly projected a third layer of writing, on the theme of love.”

Though I hate reading plays, I love seeing them performed but I get no pleasure from reading them. Still, off to thebookdepository to pick up The Myth of Sisyphus.

I recall discussing this on your blog, I do think this is a very precise work, one that does exactly what it sets out to do.

As you probably noticed from yours, I’m actually quite a fan of this, I think it’s a bit of a masterpiece.

I don’t think though it’s a wholly naturalistic novel, I don’t think it’s necessary that we believe it could happen as depicted, it’s an examination for me more of what it means to live free of illusion – whether that’s even possible.

Well, it’s that among several other things, it’s a dense work. As I said over at yours, I clearly have to reread it (particularly as I misremembered a detail about the ending, though not ultimately I think a dispositive one).

@kevinfromcanada: Check this out. It really seems that Camus didn’t know what he was doing.

A more formal reference to a parent might be expected, such as mother or mere. That Mersault does not make that adjustment for the benefit of his audience is hugely relevant.

Kevin’s comments are very helpful for the relative newcomer to Camus (that would be me) and thanks to Hungry like the Woolf for sending me here.

The revisit provokes a number of observations. I had forgotten how often Camus references Dostoevsky. And I had forgotten his section on Don Juan, so Cervantes if obviously an influence. And the essay includes an appendix on Kafka, so we can add him in. He makes no reference to Cain in the essay but I think Max raises a very good point — the “noir” fiction would have struck a responsive chord and the French did understand it in a different way than Americans did. It is particularly interesting that Postman, a few years after this, became a movie — which would link Camus’ notion of fiction and performance as an important counterpart to a philosophical essay.

I think the essay shows the importance of looking at L’Etranger as the beginning of a process, which has a number of streams, rather than a work that stands by itself. When you look at the stream of influences that Camus identifies in the essay — coupled with the simultaneous publication of L’Etranger — I don’t think any other conclusion is possible.