Date of Defense

5-18-2018

Date of Graduation

6-2018

Department

Spanish

First Advisor

Vivan Steemers

Second Advisor

Vincent Desroches

Abstract

This essay analyzes some of Camus and Sartre’s most prominent works to represent how they diverge from a similar existential foundation. For example, both Nausea and excerpts from Being and Nothingness are used to develop his philosophy that existence precedes essence. This is juxtaposed with Camus’ Myth of Sisyphus, The Outsider, and Caligula in which the absurd world is revealed when the protagonists confront mortality. The non-positionality of consciousness in Satre’s philosophical revelation leads to an estrangement from oneself compared to Camus’ in which everyone is condemned to death and therefore feels estranged from the world. The authors’ philosophies further diverge in how the individual can deny their existential revelation. For Camus, only the individual can respond with philosophical suicide. In Sartre’s bad faith, other beings-for-themselves are seen as a threat which is demonstrated in No Exit. This causes Sartre’s characters to live solitary existences compared to Camus’ who form a sense of community as in The Just Assassins. This play is also used to debate Sartre’s the end justifies the means in Dirty Hands.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Restricted

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