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A Study on Absurdity in Camus’ Caligula

  • Journal of Humanities
  • 2022, (85), pp.299-326
  • DOI : 10.31310/HUM.085.08
  • Publisher : Institute for Humanities
  • Research Area : Humanities > Other Humanities
  • Received : April 5, 2022
  • Accepted : May 5, 2022
  • Published : May 31, 2022

Kiil Kim 1

1숭실대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Camus attempted to show the absurdity in both the most realistic and ideal way in his play Caligula (1944). He wanted to show in a natural way that the ordinary people can share the same mind-set with the ancient Roman emperor Caligula, who wielded absolute authority over things including eternal life, absolute power, and sanctification that those people want to enjoy. He endeavored to understand the absurdity through the structural aspect of “a play within a play” as well as the element of violence in Caligula. The “play within a play” in the structure of Caligula does not follow the conventional structure of the viewer and the seer in classical literature as was pointed out by a theater critic Forestier, but rather does the expanded concept of “a play within a play” showing the expanded concept of the Mise-en Abime play and the form of role distribution, etc. (the Praise of Venus, a shadow play, a poetry contest in Caligula) which was defined by Schemeling. as well as “a play within a play” in the form of meta-drama that shows a reflection play centered around acting, which was classified by Kowzan. In addition, Caligula’s double change of reality and fantasy and the continuity of the two spaces through the object of a mirror are manifested as violence through the figure of the absolute power trying to teach the absurdity to the people of reality in the fantasy and through the illusion in the mirror. In the end, the play projects the image of Camus, a human form of Caligula who tried to overcome the absurdity — as he sees himself as an autocrat being eventually killed after the rebellion of his subordinates — but cannot overcome the absurdity of reality. The justification of violence and murder through acting in the fantasy space of Caligula, a human with absolute power, ultimately leads to his death by treason in reality. As we watch a man trying to escape from his fantasy by breaking the mirror, which is an object, looking at his own face before his death, we realize the absurdity that Camus was trying to say. Power that one wants to possess forever, but cannot possess, and death that one tries to ignore but cannot escape, will be topics that are repeated indefinitely in human life, and the absurdity will continue forever for all beings. Human beings who live an absurd life have the problem of living while searching for the double truth in reality and fantasy. The eternity of the absurd always coexists with the tragedy of life and death. Although it shows an absurd human figure within the limits of human nature, humans must wish to accomplish their hope and continue to strive for happiness.

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