Albert Camus: His quest for a paradise lost and the poetics of nostalgia.
Item
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Title
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Albert Camus: His quest for a paradise lost and the poetics of nostalgia.
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Identifier
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AAI3115297
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identifier
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3115297
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Creator
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Verolla, Steven M.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Mary Ann Caws
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Date
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2004
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Literature, Romance | Literature, Modern | Biography
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Abstract
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This thesis aims to uncover the diverging tableaux of paradise lost which emerge from the writings of Albert Camus. As the celebrated absurdist philosopher in the twentieth century, Camus finds his salvation in the solitary engagement with the human species in its struggle against mortality. Moreover, in his battle to surmount the void of the absurd, Camus searches for meaning in both his childhood and in the ritual of writing itself, thereby illuminating the glimmers of a golden age embodied with innocence and truth.;Camus's nostalgic journey commences in his native Algeria with his communion with nature (Part I). The inviting sun and sea quickly turn to the oppressive heat and scorching dryness of the desert. In this no man's land, relief lies in solitary mirages. Once having endured the desert of indifference, the individual is now ready for civilization but cannot enter without a ceremonial rite of passage in the form of fraternal bonding. In Part II, Camus, the outsider, sheds his indifference and takes up the cause of humanity with his heroes as his vehicle. Engagement in the human condition lends meaning and joy to the author and his creations alike. In essence, Camus strives to achieve a social contract whereby men can live in reasonable harmony without the delusions of power or utopia. Unfortunately, a sense of belonging, tranquil union and self-fulfillment all elude this man torn asunder by conflicting allegiances to both France and its colony Algeria. The antagonism between French imperialism and Arab nationalism not only heightens hostilities in the political arena but, plays havoc upon Camus's psyche and tarnishes his once sterling public image. Straddled between two worlds with competing interests and ideologies, this pied-noir realizes his philosophical quandary of the absurd by experiencing first hand the pain of separation along with the futility of life. Furthermore, exacerbated with a world that has forsaken its humanity for violence, conquest and machines, he once again shuns society and turns inward to silent and solitary reflection in quest of inner peace and harmony (Part III). His nostalgic reveries and artistic creations provide him with the raison d'etre and joie de vivre for which he longs (Parts III--IV). Finally, calm and collective in the face of adversity, Camus survives the world's absurdity by refusing to capitulate to it and by maintaining a sense of human dignity with measure and conscience, the two guiding lights that modern man has regrettably long forgotten.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
