Absurd Man

In life, people live with hopes for tomorrow and for future. The way that people live shows that they are intentionally forget about the death, which is certain in life. When we go through the moments in our lives, people are not aware that they are approaching the death day-by-day. Chapter two describes the way in which the absurd man live. He presents a set of examples of the absurdity of life. Camus tries to introduce his definition of absurdity and the strategies that people can use when living with absurdity. Absurd is interpreted as the meaninglessness of life. Nevertheless, it is the argument between man’s desire for meaning, order, and the world’s inability to satisfy that desire. The character of Sisyphus represents the struggle human beings make to go with the flow of absurdity of life. Sisyphus comes as a figure in Greek Mythology. He was condemned to repeatedly perform the same task of pushing a boulder up to a mountain, which is obviously meaningless, to see it roll down again. Camus defines the ‘absurd man’. He figured out some examples for the absurdity. He first looks at Don Juan. This character is the first example of Camus of an absurd man. The character is best known for the unrivalled powers of seduction. He does not hesitate at all to move from one woman to another. He lives a life, which is obviously living a life of quantity than quality. According to Camus, it is required for a absurd man to struggle to experience every possible moment. Actors are the next example of absurd man. Camus defines actor-figure as an absurd one because actors act short-lived fame. An actor-figure, being in the present, acts different types of characters. It represents the intensity of life. The third example is the conqueror. Camus discusses the character of kirilov as an ‘absurd creation’. Camus has taken this character from one of the books of Dostoevsky in his The Devils. This character has similar characteristics of that of Camus. It deals with certainties and faces their consequences regardless of the effect. He wanted to have his own freedom. Therefore, he commits ‘logical suicide’. In the final chapter, he outlines the legend of Sisyphus. According to Camus, Sisyphus is the absurd hero. He cheats death, live his life to the fullest and is condemned to a meaningless task. Sisyphus defies the Gods and chains, so that no human being needed to die anymore. The Gods became angry at him and punish him for eternity. He had to push a rock up to a mountain. When he reaches the top of the mountain, the rock would roll back down. Therefore, Sisyphus had to repeat the action.