The Absurdity of Man

Absurdity is defined as that which is contrary to reason; clearly untrue, unreasonable or ridiculous. It is often a topic in existentialist writings relating to life. This subject is prevalent in Camus' "The Stranger" and "The Myth of Sisyphus." Camus depicts absurdity bringing about happiness or indifference in each of these literary works. In "The Myth of Sisyphus," it is made clear that Sisyphus is aware that his existence is absurd. He is sentenced to an eternity of rolling a boulder up a steep mountain only to let it roll back down when it reaches its peak. His tragedy lies in the fact that he is conscious of the extent of his own misery. What makes his struggle very absurd is that he knows that there is no death at the end of it. The last sentence in this essay is in itself absurd, after describing the dilemma that Sisyphus eternally faces, Camus exclaims, "One must imagine Sisyphus happy." This paradox is upheld because Sisyphus is left refusing to recognize that there is nothing to hope for,