Essay about The Myth Of Sisyphus

Submitted By Taylor-Burrier
Words: 646
Pages: 3
Open Document
The Myth of Sisyphus
Albert Camus argues that the absurd hero sees life as a constant struggle, without hope. Any attempt to deny or avoid the struggle and hopelessness that defines our lives is an attempt to escape from the absurd contradiction. Camus’s single requirement for the absurd man is that he lives with full awareness of the absurdity of his position. While Sisyphus is pushing his rock up the mountain, there is nothing for him but toil and struggle. But in those moments where Sisyphus is descends from the mountain free from his burden, he is aware. He knows that his struggle will get him nowhere. This awareness is precisely the same awareness that the absurd man has in this life. So long as Sisyphus is aware, his fate is no different and no worse than our lot in life.
We react to Sisyphus’s fate with horror because we see its futility and hopelessness. Of course, the central argument of this essay is that life is a futile struggle of hope. However, Camus also suggests that this fate is only horrible if we continue to hope, if we think that there is something more that is worth aiming for. Our fate only seems horrible when we place it in contrast with something that would seem preferable is we accept that there is no preferable alternative, than we can except our fate without horror. Only then, Camus suggests that we can accept our fate without reservation. Camus states “All Sisyphus’ silent joy is contained therein. His fate belongs to him. His rock is his thing” (764). Therefore Sisyphus is above his fate because he accepts it. His punishment is only horrible if he can hope or dream for something better, of which he does not. This means that the gods are unable to punish him.
The theory of tragedy is a complicated subject beyond the scope of this commentary, but a brief discussion of Camus’s angle on tragedy may be valuable. Camus tells us that the moment Sisyphus becomes aware of his fate, his fate becomes tragic. He also alludes to Oedipus, who becomes a tragic figure only when he becomes aware that he has killed his father and married his mother. He also remarks that both Sisyphus and Oedipus are happy. Tragedy, Camus seems to be suggesting, is not pessimistic. On the contrary, it represents the greatest triumph we are capable of as human beings. So as long as Sisyphus and Oedipus continue to hope and to deceive themselves, they are not heroic. With tragic
Show More

Related Documents: Essay about The Myth Of Sisyphus

Myth Of Sisyphus Commentary Essay

Myth Of Sisyphus Commentary We must imagine Sisyphus happy because he is an absurd hero. Absurdity and Happiness are parallel in both The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus. Meursault in The Stranger and Sisyphus in The Myth of Sisyphus are closely related by Camus to connect absurdity and happiness. “The absurd is born out of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world” Albert Camus. Camus says that the universe has no interest or concern…

Words 331 - Pages 2

Let Felicity Fly: The Myth Of Sisyphus

everything life has to offer. Ranging from ice cream flavours, to the depth of human emotion. Burden can be a terrible weight to bear, and sometimes it will be too much and we will crumble. But sometimes, on the rare occasion, we can triumph. Like Sisyphus pushing a boulder up a mountain over and over again, it will be difficult. It will make us want to cry. To scream at the sky in frustration. It will just make the triumph all that much more glorious. This article shouts out to those who carry that…

Words 617 - Pages 3

The illusionary man Essay example

will adopt. After reading Camus’, The Myth of Sisyphus, and Beauvoir’s, Personal Freedom and Others, it is clear that the two philosophers have very different opinions of this impending future that I am facing. Camus’ philosophy of the absurd and Beauvoir’s philosophy of ambiguity have many comparing and contrasting qualities; however I personally believe that I will find happiness in the absurdity of my situation just as Sisyphus did. In the Myth of Sisyphus, Camus distinguishes between an absurd…

Words 1899 - Pages 8

Agon: Absurdism and Life Sisyphus Essay

In Albert Camus’ “The Myth of Sisyphus,” the reader is presented with a completely new way to look at this ancient story. Rather then looking at the life Sisyphus led while he was on Earth, Camus presents the life Sisyphus led while in the underworld. More specifically, Camus doesn’t focus on Sisyphus’ struggle or punishment, but instead focuses on his ability to overcome his punishment and be happy in spite of it. Through out the reading Sisyphus makes several different attempts at dealing with…

Words 948 - Pages 4

Essay about The Absurd Man's Awakening

doesn’t mean anything” (3). Beginning the novel with such a horrible experience such as death and approaching it with such dispassionate feeling surprises the reader and establishes Camus’s existential views in a thought-provoking way. In The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays, a work written by Camus shortly after The Stranger, Camus himself illustrates the basis of his existential philosophy: “There is thus a lower key of feelings, inaccessible in the heart but partially disclosed by the acts they…

Words 2370 - Pages 10

The Stranger Essay

escape their fate. Meursault’s mentality towards fate is similar towards the outlook Albert Camus has on Sisyphus’s fate in The Myth of Sisyphus. Although Meursault’s fate is different from Sisyphus’ in the sense that Meursault cannot avoid death and Sisyphus will exist for eternity conducting useless labor, they are the same in the sense that both Meursault and Sisyphus accept the fact they cannot do anything to change their fates. It is the acceptance of his fate that causes Meursault’s friends…

Words 1222 - Pages 5

Letters From Birmingham Jail Summary

literature of poetry that would help the people of France to uplift as to enjoyable and inspire by learning and develop new experiences of literature, especially of the writing for newspapers. A certain information that came from the article of “The Myth of Sisyphus” where it tell in the second page that Oedipus explains that even there are great times, it can have a bad joy that would concluded a worsen results (Bonte 238). This wanted to tell that even it has good times on a daily life, it could happen…

Words 596 - Pages 3

Letter To A Philosopher: Dr. Albert Camus

there is not an ultimate adequate answer helps me understand why you consider the world we live in to be absurd. However, I do not agree with the idea of suicide because you do not know the purpose of neither this world nor your existence. The Myth of Sisyphus suggest that because it seems absurd to keep pushing a rock up a hill that is going to keep rolling back down and the most logical question at that point is whether or not you should live. Although continuously trying to accomplish a goal seems…

Words 846 - Pages 4

Essay MP 1

Dianna Jeong Grevstad AP Literature 12 March 2015 Hamlet and Meursault The literary pieces, Hamlet by William Shakespeare and The Stranger by Albert Camus, revolve around existential characters Hamlet and Meursault who are put into similar, tragic circumstances. The nature of the characters, leads to different, significant downfalls. Shakespeare’s intent was to tell a classic tragedy caused by a man’s hubris; he gives Hamlet a heroic ending by giving him the means to find his own essence and set…

Words 2733 - Pages 11

Langston Hughes And Countee Cullen

Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen are two major figures with very similar themes within their poems. The two early twentieth century authors delve into their writings during the Harlem Renaissance. During this time, African Americans were facing difficult challenges of their African heritage while still wanting to be apart of and accepted in the predominately white society. Between the two authors, they shared a common goal of racial equality and also supplying the residents of Harlem, New York…

Words 1410 - Pages 6