Albert Camus | The Stranger | Existentialist Philosophy & Literature
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- Опубліковано 29 тра 2024
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In this video, I examine Albert Camus' classic existentialist novel, The Stranger, and explore some of its philosophical themes. I also discuss its central character, Meursault, his seeming lack of character, and whether he exemplifies the "absurd man" of Camus' essay "The Myth of Sisyphus"
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I never got the impression that Meursault's indifference was wrong. I thought it was a quirk of his personality, and related to the fact that he's very grounded in the present. So much so that he doesn't over-think an action. He doesn't have strong expectations about how the world ought to be, so he's less inhibited about making a 'wrong' choice. Later he makes it clear that he has no regrets about anything, he just was who he was. In the end, when he realizes that his indifference is in alignment with the universe's indifference, he finds strength in that. This indifference is in stark contrast against the machinery of daily routine and justice that makes everyone around him behave so rigid and unfree.
This is what I was looking for !.. I couldn’t put it into words but I think you have done it very nicely here, he is like as mindful as a zen master in many ways but then again his lack of concern for the well being of others, often weaker characters is very off-putting. This idea of commitment to what is true is unflinching but i still can’t understand why he committed the act ?…. He wasn’t scared , he wasn’t mad.. why did he do it ?…. Why wouldn’t he do it again for that matter ( if allowed to go free) ?
@@colmancostello It was the sun beating down.
@colmancostello your trying to rationalize his murder like the jury, but the murder just kind of... happens by chance
i think salomano's dog is a metaphor for a routine one is used to.
Could be
Thanks for sharing, nice metaphor and I overlooked this man/dog relationship with the angle of routine (years, sores, attitude, comfort).
I thought it was because he hated God, because God has abandoned him and all he is left with is that lousy old dog, hence repeatedly calling him a bastard. Maybe God had bastardised the man. Also though I do believe that the French like to kick dogs.
Camus is probably my favourite philosopher.
Interesting -- why?
I felt that he was one of the kinder souls in Western philosophy who managed however not to be wishy-washy. There isn't a sense in his work of his being a do-gooder who took right and wrong for granted, and yet that is what is most humane about him. Too few people seem to have that beautiful authenticity because either right and wrong are totally simple to their minds (as opposed to a dynamic inner struggle) or it is something they neglect because it was only ever a simple matter for them. That may be elitist of me to say but it would rest heavily on my conscience otherwise. He puts my heart most at ease and his philosophy I come back to over and over again in my life when I am disappointed but still very much alive.
I like him for similar reasons
"There is only one great philosophical problem..."
Dm.A.A.
@@dmitryandreyev8579 is life worth living?
I found Mersault to be one of the more interesting characters I've read. His inability or refusal to tell people what they wanted to hear, ultimately led to his undoing. What stands out to me is this sort of duality where he is uncompromisingly indifferent. I suppose that that duality is a product of his severe detachment. For me I would consider Mersault a well constructed example of the absurd man. Thanks for the video!
You're welcome!
I love Camus! My mom introduced him to me when I was in 9th grade! Camus was fed up with his era and I can relate! There’s a calm balanced quiet anger that I’m mesmerized by with his works!
I got introduced to him around that age myself!
Glad you enjoyed it. If you like this sort of thing, I'd say the Existentialism sequence is the place to start -- got over 30 1-hour videos uploaded so far, and many more coming this Fall
"The Stranger" reminds me in many ways of Shakespeare's, "Hamlet"; particularly when the leading character tells us as the trial begins: "And I had the odd impression of being watched by myself." This novella is an excellent study of consciousness at multiple levels.
Mersault can't explain why he shot the Arab an additional four times. It does not seem to be a detail worthy of his reflection. Likewise, God (the universe, if you prefer) does not explain to us why we ultimately die. There is no good explanation for the phenomenon of having life one moment, but not the next.
The state, which does not know Mersault at all, condemns him to die, based, in part, on Mersault's apparent indifference to the lives of others (that makes Mersault a monster, of sorts). Yet the prosecutor, and later the chaplain, try to force a guilt upon him via religious imagery that he does not feel. The state, which condemns this man who is unknown to it, relies on society's assertion that an ultimate, just truth exists to which all men must answer. The last chapter contains Mersault's response to that assertion: "I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world."
Good summary of some of the key ideas and narrative points
Glad the video was helpful in making the ideas a bit more clear
This book had a huge emotional impact on me when I first read it. Loved your thoughts on it. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it
Once again, thanks for the video. Assisted me greatly with developing a greater understanding of this novel.
Thanks for this video! I enjoyed your lecture and look forward to watching others!
Mersault could just simply be a sociopath--i.e, the inability to feel love, remorse, or to mourn--kind of runs against the point of the absurd though
All sorts of interpretations are possible with literary works. Usually the “just X” simple ones will miss out on some aspects of the text in works like these
I thought of this possibility, too, and feel it adds to the futility and absurdity of judging him. How could he be other than what he is? A danger to society, yes, but no point in judging him as a moral character. No such thing as free will, etc. 😂/😢
Thank you! This was great way of summing up what I've read☺I enjoyed this type of interpretation
Great video, Dr. Sadler. Thanks so much
You're very welcome!
The lectures in my Existentialism playlist are shot for youtube, but I'll be using them for the online courses I'm developing
Thank you so much for bringing out such a great content. You lectures are great, professor.
I discovered your channel only recently & 'm loving it!!! ♥️♥️♥️
Glad you enjoy the videos!
Great book and fantastic lecture. Thank you!
Does anybody else see this as a story of grief? I always had a sense that although he might be quite depressed and lacking major meanings in his life in general this is a special moment in his life. It starts with his mother dying when he is confronted by that lack of meaning and he feels it takes control of his life at the same time he lets the feeling soak him completley. The getting in the water and the contrast with the suffocating heat, to me he is a man that starts to find beauty amisdt greif and the numb state of mind he is in but is crushed by the weight of society and other people's expectations towards him and greif and existence.
That is certainly one of many possible interepretations
I'm not sure if this interpretation lines up with Camus philosophy in general. And also the way Mersault talks feels like, for the most part, to put it crudely, that he doesn't give a shit.
@@pantoleonantonio9653 Mersault isn't Camus himself, as Camus made clear in interview
@@GregoryBSadler fair enough, i didn't know that. But my second point still stands. Would you mind linking that interview?
@@pantoleonantonio9653 Buddy, I came across that years ago - you can do the work to track it down
Thanks for this, interesting, clear and concise. I look forward to watching more
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it
I'm glad you like the lectures.
As for the suggestion, that's unlikely to happen -- first off, there's multiple translations/editions out there -- and second, I prefer to carry out the lectures at the tempo and the way I already do. Rattling off page numbers strikes me as something that would break my normal flow.
If you -- or anyone else for that matter -- wants to take on the project of correlating the passages read with the various editions and their page numbers, you're welcome to it
I really enjoyed Gregory Sadler's presentation. Before I put on my glasses, I thought I was looking at Pen Jillette getting ready to do a magic act. I agree with Gregory's assessment. He is a damn good teacher; very clear, communicates well. It's a simple book & he explains it as such. Existentialism is very complicated when you figure in the many different interpretations; e.g., Kierkegaard & Sartre. My father absolutely hated the latter!
Bravo!
Glad you enjoyed the lecture!
Haha, they do look alike. Dr. Sadler is better looking though.
I read the stranger the other day and this was a great followup.
Thanks Gregory.
You're welcome! Glad it was useful for you!
That is correct. I've had a very rocky college path and accumulated over sixty units in humanities type classes at my local community college and spent two years as the "head delegate" of Model UN (I'm a poly sci major) but still don't have the GE requirements to transfer!! Once again thanks for doing this. I've told many of my professors about you and encouraged them to do something similar.
Thanks, Gregory. I'm looking forward to it.
Thank you. That's very helpful. I am, now, interested in learning more on Camus' "ethic" as you call it, being that he is an atheistic existentialist. Thanks for the recommendation.
Wonderful video.I find myself watching hours of lectures online these days, as part of a rigorous diet of autodidactic learning. I believe that there has always been a stigma on those who pursue education privately . There seems to be a worry that if people aren't physically present when someone is speaking, it somehow doesn't sink in, and that even if it does the information has been rendered invalid in its unconventional delivery, this of course--like everything--has to do with money.
When I taught for Ball State University -- teaching at Indiana State Prison, actually -- I did get to teach Camus, both in Intro classes (discussing nihilism) and in Contemporary Philosophy classes, which I set up as a Phenomenology and Existentialism classes.
Since then, at Fayetteville State, no -- we didn't even have a Philosophy program there, and I taught just mainly Critical Thinking classes.
At Marist, I suppose I could -- in the Ethics or Intro classes. But, I haven't done it
It would be awesome if in future lectures you could mention page numbers of examples you mention. Thank you for posting these videos.
That would be good, to see other profs doing similar video work.
The model UN is something I'd wanted to get involved with back while I was at FSU, but it never ended up working out.
Well, you can always keep on studying humanities classes in other forms -- but you know that, I think -- videos can be useful, but you can also engage in directed self-study. The main thing needed is desire, and that you clearly have
Sir, Your lectures are really insightful and satiable.
Glad you enjoy them!
An interesting thesis project. I suppose that one of the things I'd reemphasize about The Stranger is that it's a work that's in many ways not all that representative of Camus' broader approach -- there's dimensions missing in it that will show up in later works like the Rebel and the Plague, and even in the early Myth of Sisyphus.
I'd also say -- just my impression -- Camus' Stranger is actually optimistic in ways. Nothing like that, as far as I can see in Becket's Waiting for Godot
That is very high praise! You're welcome -- and thank you as well
Well he reconsiders his relationships throughout the entire second half of the novel.
The way Camus has written this, Mersault is the only source from which we're going to get any information about Mersault's chances or mindset -- its all in first-person. So, what you need to look at are the bits of explanation he provides about his time in the prison.
There really isn't any full answer given in the work about the change -- but some hints
Thank you sir! Your work means a lot!
I'm glad you find it helpful
You're welcome. You ought to consider putting some bits of your ongoing project out there, in digital form, on the web
thank you very much for the answer and the suggestion sir...
I think I need to read this book ... Thanks for sharing your lecture.
Started reading this novel and then gonna read "the fall". These lectures help a lot in getting an idea of how philosophical fiction works as this is my first one. Thank you so much for the helpful videos.
I think I should hold off on reading the fall and instead read the myth of sisyphus after what was discussed here.
The Part-time Nerd Yes, the two early works do go together.
Great analysis! Working my way through The Stranger for the second time with your thoughts in mind. Would you consider doing a lecture on The Plague?
Ole-Tobias Torrissen Yes, eventually. Here's a video discussing what I'm currently up to ua-cam.com/video/p-xGOMQAzAg/v-deo.html
Another great video. Thanks
Your interpretation of the work got the ideas flowing through my head. Thanks to you, I think I just wrote the best essay in my life. Keep up the good work!
+Adna You're welcome! Glad it was helpful for you
+Gregory B. Sadler ok
I think you'll probably want later to enroll in my online Existentialism class, which is still currently in development at this time. You can find ongoing developments about it on my Sadler's Existentialism Updates site
Will do! Thanks
You're welcome -- glad you liked it
Yes, the Myth and the Stranger really are in many respects companion pieces -- though the Myth illuminates Stranger more than vice-versa.
Well, for Camus, the world is what it is -- we're tempted to think it's rational in its core, that it has meaning, and so on -- and it can be reason, or something else, that shows us -- and this is what it is to grasp the Absurd -- that this isn't the case.
I'll shoot a Core Concept video in the next week about the triadic structure of the Absurd for Camus
Really enjoyed this thanks fir the video
You’re welcome!
You're very welcome -- glad it was helpful
Hi, I think I am going through existential crises (I prefer saying "facing absurd'). I couldn't understand what was happening but then I happened to stumble upon Cross purpose (Misunderstanding), it resonated with me and I ended up directing it. During my research I read Sisyphus, Stranger and his other works. I find your lectures insightful and very much coherent with my understanding. I was wondering if you can post a lecture on Cross purpose so that I can be sure I didn't miss anything.
I see. I just read the book for the first time yesterday, and was instantly drawn to it. I was trying to see through the narration into Camus' own views, so I am glad to see that he was intentional about not doing that. Now, you touched on this at the end but I am still not quite understanding at how being "greeted with cries of hate" would make him feel less alone. Is it that he now finds comfort in NOT having lived a life in concordance with the world?
The way I interpreted the Stranger was far more optimistic. His isolation and apathy cut him off from everything and to want to feel "less alone" isn't necessarily a call for "human" companionship, but for relief, or a connection outside of his isolated, numb existence. He craved to feel life, and as you said, the world and life are indifferent and brutal and absurd. The kind of world he connected to as he was "enlightened" before his end. - note: may be overly subjective of me. any insight?
Rob I think that’s Camus’s interpretation too. He rejects and constantly critics existentialism. He instead believes the only way to be happy is to embrace the absurd and lack of meaning in life
It so sad that you had to experience these things.. But it seemed to have made you an outstanding teacher and I really appreciate very much.
Glad you enjoy the videos
Another excellent presentation! Are you going to present The Rebel anytime soon?
I'm struggling to write the paper on this book because I don't truly follow author's ideas. However I find your video very resourceful of this subject matter.
That's a rather big question. I'd suggest reading the Myth of Sisyphus -- where he clarifies his views on previous existentialist thinkers -- and then rereading the Stranger in light of that.
I had hoped to do it this summer, but then had the injury. Hopefully, I'll get to it this fall
Thank you, this video was really helpful!
I would very much appreciate your thoughts on two things. 1. How would you explain Meursaults behavior/view towards Marie compared to other peoples view of her? (From an existence philosophical perspective)
2. Do you think Meursaults relation to other people change during his time in prison?
I don't think Meursault changes very much as a character over the course of the novel, no. And he treats Marie fairly poorly. Camus himself said that he didn't intend Meursault to be a particularly good guy, or even the main representative of a person living in the absurd.
I love his early essays, before and including Sisyphus.i reread them personally.
I have long since adopted him as " My big brother - who died before I was born...". Meaning, the intimacy of his literary Voice.
He is still relevant and touches the heart.
Those are good. Really all the stuff he writes later on is good too
I've read this book first time as a teen, 4 years ago. I was blown away by its ending and I liked this book. Having read it the second time yesterday, I wouldn't say I understood it that well the last time I read it and I can't seem to find what I liked about the ending. If this is Camus's example of absurdism that he is advocating for, then I want none of it. There is no trace of life-affirmation in Mersault, no will to fight, to resist, to discover his potentials, to actually live instead of merely existing and floating through the gift of life. He is deeply inert. He is simply making peace with the indifference of the universe, walking indifferently towards his death. In my eyes, he is a deeply tragic character (if the word character is even an appropriate term for someone without any character). He is so deeply tragic that he moves me to tears. Such rejection of life is nothing but a sin against the gift that we've, for some or for no reason, been given. This is a deeply tragic novel.
As Camus said in interviews, Merseault is not a standin for him. As he makes clear in the Myth of Sisyphus, there are multiple responses to the absurd
That is why I really do need to read The Myth of Sisyphus! Sounds very intriguing. And, just to be clear, I said "rational world" to mean the world perceived as rational by non-absurd individuals. Sorry about that misunderstanding. I interpreted Camus's idea of the indifferent world to be the world as it is and also as it is to Mersault as the absurd man. That world, being different from the world others see (the rational world), allows for the absurd man to be absurd (since he sees it as it is)
This was a great video. I would very much love to see one on The Plague.
It's well worth the read -- and because of Camus deliberate style, reads very quickly
thanks to you I'm going to have the best final paper out of anyone in my existentialism course
This will help me with AP English. Thank you!
I have a quick question. I am writing a English paper on the novel and I chose the topic "How does the novel illustrate that Camo was influenced by existentialism philosophy? Can you help me answer this, and what should I be looking for research?
hi mr. gregory...first i want to thank you deeply for this very helpful lecture about "the stranger"...which happens to be the subject of my master dissertation, where i'm going to make a comparison between waiting for godot by samuel beckett and the stranger by camus...and i was wondering how to make a good outline with inclination to the philosophical background and implications in both works...any help is greatly appreciated...thank you in advance
Thank you for your effort.
You're welcome
thank you sir!
No idea what you're hearing precisely -- but I do mispronounce terms sometimes. If that's the main complaint, question, or confusions about the video. . . .
Not a a bad idea at all. It'd be likely this summer when I'll get back to filming more Camus videos
you're welcome -- glad you liked it
Not sure what you're asking here. Are you asking something like whether I'm for or against, what Camus makes of her, etc.?
At any of the colleges or universities that you have worked at, have you been able to teach this material?
For the lecture, I think most about the alienation of the characters within the novel.
That's nice to read -- but what exactly did you find helpful for your paper? I'm always curious about what people are getting out of this
I recently came across Camus and was blown away! I couldn't even go to my classes for a week and just read Camus. It's so great that you put your lectures up not only because it's free, but also because your a good professor! It was great to be able to watch this and be assured that I was understanding the themes correctly. For some one like me who can't take any more Humanities type classes these are a great discovery.
Thank you very much.
I enjoyed your lecture, but I have one question. On page 79, Mersault talks about how he killed time while in the prison and says that by living one day a man could live indefinitely in prison by reflecting on one's memories of that day. What is your take on the importance of this addition to the story, or is it superfluous?
I read this book, but I'm a literary and philosophical barbarian. I could not get all of this out of the book, but now Camus' work makes more sense. Thanks for sharing this analysis with us!
You’re welcome
you're very welcome!
Thank you for the video. I have not read the Myth of Sisyphus yet, but do you think The Stranger is more about Camus attacking the social norms of French society by the use of Existentialism?
You're welcome!
Well, I'd say there's two things going on there. One is that the cries of hate are still in some sense connection with human beings, rather than. . . nothing. The other is that he has had some kind of realization about the absurdity of everything, and that can have a sort of effect of corroding all the assumptions we'd normally make. He's you might say, all right with things as they turn out.
What I'd suggest is getting your hands on Camus' Notebooks -- which are available in translation
Can you please tell me which is the message Albert Camus wants to give us through this novel of him?
I know there are many messages that we can take from this book, but I want to know the general message of the novel.
P.S.: Thank you for uploading these videos about Camus.
a new video in the Existentialism series
Si-si-phus not si-phu-sis
M's discussion/soliloquy with the priest provides context to M's zombie-like, apparently meaningless existence he led. As "meaningless" as it might appear to many, that is all we have - this world, this existence. ANY existence, ANY life, is worth more than after life and meaning must be found in it.
I guess you didn't watch the whole video, since there is actually discussion of the prison part and the confrontation with the priest.
No disrespect. I enjoy your lectures. Thank you for uploading wonderful lectures!
I think one of the fundamental absurdities of "The Stranger" is that Mersault is not outside of his own life and the events that involve him, but he is irritatingly forced inside his own life as a stranger to it. Although he may be like a brother to the indifferent absurd world few embrace, he is far from such to the rational world and its people who embrace reason, thereby making himself their stranger. But again he cannot escape this except through death making himself forever on the inside.
and yes, Thanks a lot!
The relationship between the old man and the dog could be a metaphor for relationships in general and especially long term ones. There is the boredom, the routine and the power struggle. It is very similar to the relationship between the characters Gogol and Didi in Becket's Waiting for Godot. This seems plausible given that both Becket and Camus are from the absurdist/existential school are they not?
There's no such "school", just loose associations
Towards the end of "The Stranger" it is said that Meursault wants to feel "less alone". Do you know why he moves away from apathy, and is now concerned about companionship?
I got from the book that the world doesn't care about humans and that there is no structure or order. If Meursault is described as sharing the same apathy, why would he suddenly crave companionship? He never seemed interested in human connections, as evidenced by his relationship with Marie.
Great work.As a side note, I am a bit puzzled by the name of the main protagonist : Meursault In french, Meurs means literally translated : Die.And Sault, is pronounced the same as "sot", which can be translated as : Stupid or dumb.Die Stupid.Could this be relevant to the central theme, or is it just a coïncidence ?
+Jung Bolosse I don't think the same was intended to be symbolic. I haven't seen any references to that previously in the literature. But, you never know.
+Gregory B. Sadler Indeed, it was just a side remark and i would not pretend to be familiar enough with literature as to interpret it as such. It is just that this book is so powerful yet so easy to read (but not easy to interpret) that it has become for the time being my bedside novel, maybe because i am going through rough times right now and find some kind of solace in it. What i have noticed, but again you are much more qualified to appreciate , is that Camus's mother was born Sintès if i am not mistaken, and in L'étranger, it appears to me that the only person for who Meursault will accomplish the most decisive act of his life, the only time when he will engage himself fully and for which he will pay the ultimate price, by killing the arab, is Raymond Sintès.
Well, if one had to be physically present, or tot take a face-to-face class, etc., I'd not know half the philosophy stuff I did learn!
You should do one on the Fall! Dm.
Dmitry Andreyev Eventually I will
Excellently! Thank you. What prompted you? Dm.
What's your opinion on the robot woman?
Spelt meursault wrong!! Thank you though, very helpful for my exam tomorrow
Hey, just wanted to ask a quick question, hoping you'll answer:
What's the purpose of literature?
That's it, thanks.
Thank you.
You’re welcome!
I'm assuming you can't take any more humanities classes because of credit/class requirements for your major?
His experience, I'd suppose -- it's not like someone makes a major philosophical commitment that runs throughout their career based on any one single thing. I'd look at his Notebooks and at the Myth of Sisyphus
"more about" that? I'd hesitate to go that far and say that that was Camus' main idea.
If you want to see some of the ideas and drives behind the Stranger and the Myth, you might read Camus' Notebooks -- long since translated and published -- from that time.
I think he's, like any writer, actually trying to work out this theme, this character, this way of life, this set of choices, in prose -- so, there's an artistic/productive problem before him.
thank you
You're welcome