Albert Camus : from the absurd to revolt / John Foley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Foley, John, 1974-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Camus, Albert, 1913-1960--Criticism and interpretation.

Camus, Albert.

Camus, Albert, 1913-1960--Political and social views.

Camus, Albert, 1913-1960.

Political and social views.

Criticism and interpretation.

Physical Description:

xiv, 239 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Montréal ; Ithaca : McGill-Queen's University Press, [2008]

Summary:

Adopting an interdisciplinary approach encompassing philosophy, literature, politics and history, John Foley examines the full breadth of Camus' ideas to provide a rigorous guide to his political and philosophical thought.

Foley argues that Camus' thought can best be understood through a thorough analysis of the concepts of "the absurd" and "revolt" and the relationship between them. The book includes a detailed discussion of Camus' writings for the newspaper Combat, a systematic analysis of Camus' discussion of the moral legitimacy of political violence and terrorism, a reassessment of the prevailing postcolonial critique of Camus' humanism, a careful examination of his intellectual relationship with Sartre, and a sustained analysis of Camus' most important and frequently neglected work, L'Homme revolte (The Rebel).

Written with sufficient detail and clarity to satisfy both academic and student readerships, Albert Camus: From the Absurd to Revolt is an important discussion and defence of Camus' philosophical thought and a significant contribution to current debates in Camus research.

Contents:

1 The absurd 5

The Myth of Sisyphus 5

The Outsider 14

Caligula 22

Between nihilism and hope 26

2 Camus and Combat 29

Camusian rebellion and political engagement 29

Letters to a German Friend 30

Camus and Combat 33

"Neither Victims nor Executioners" 38

The Plague 50

3 The Rebel 55

Metaphysical rebellion 58

Historical rebellion 60

Hegel 63

Marx, history and state terrorism 67

Unity and totality 76

4 Camus and political violence 87

The scrupulous assassin 87

"Reflections on the Guillotine" 100

5 Camus and Sartre 108

The "revolted soul" 108

"Hostile to history" 115

"Freedom without brakes" 122

Camus and Sartre on violence 126

6 Camus and Algeria 141

A new Mediterranean culture 141

A civilian truce 155.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [214]-234) and index.

ISBN:

9780773534667

0773534660

9780773534674

0773534679

OCLC:

229034739