Absurdism and Existentialism in Albert Camus's The Outside and B.V. Nemade's Cocoon

Absurdism and Existentialism in Albert Camus's The Outside and B.V. Nemade's Cocoon

“It is a tale told by an Idiot full of sound and furring, signifying nothing”

                                                                                              ( William Shakespeare)

Absurd literary means out of tune. Absurdism, a literary mode that underlines the isolation and alienation that human beings experience. Lacking logic, consistency, coherence, intelligibility and realism. The literature of the absurd depicts the anguish, loneliness and despair inherent in the human condition. WWII was what brought the Absurdism not only in society but also in Literature. The trauma, sorrow, bloodsheds all made men absurd. Men were getting ride of society, culture, tradition even from the religion. The absurdist feels life in meaningless , senseless, hopeless, and disguised. Men in such condition have no aspiration to be with society and world. This became a vital theme of the 20th century writers to fill in their works.

 In attempt to rebel from traditional literary and artistic ways, Absurdism presented the idea that there is no true meaning of life .A human is isolated in his own universe came from nothingness. As it is said that ,Absurdism is the branch of Existentialism, The absurdist genre grew out of the modernist literature of the late 19th century and early 20thcentury indirect opposition to the Victorian age. It was largely influenced with by the existentialist, and Nihilist movement in philosophy and Dada surrealist Movement is art.

The present project focuses on two absurd plays ,one is The outsider(1947)  Which is

written by Albert Camus and Cocoon by Balchandra Vinaji Nemade .Bother the plays were first written in author’s own language The outsider as The stranger and Cocoon as Kosala. Albert Camus was well know Absurd writer. In this works readers meet with the theme of Absurdism , Dualism ,Paradoxes and etc. Being an Absurdist writer he writers that 'Humans are strangers in a meaningless universe, and assess their situation as absurd, or essentially pointless. On the other side Balchandra. Nemade has been a Literary crusade as editor of little magazines devoted to the Avant Gard in Literature. His novel changed the idiom of Marathi fiction. Both novels were first written in authors mother tongue then got translated into English. As Absurdism became the cause of WWII for Algerian people as seen in Novel The Outside, in India , colonialism , arrival of British, Independent movement became the cause of Absurdism. As The outsider depicts the absurd condition of Algerian man ,on the Khosla deals with the Absurd condition of an Indian man. Both novels , on comparative level are the mixture of Existentialism and Absurdism. Issue of death, loneliness, is seen on both novels .As Cocoon can be considered as the first existential novel, it is because the existential tends ,such as obsession of birth and death , dread, alienation, absurdity, are clearly exposed in novels.

As both novels have the same topic to deal with , but there can be seen little difference due to Existential  crisis and discourse of Absurdism. In brief the novel The Outsider, the story takes place in Algeria .Camus chose a specific setting and presented the Absurd life of the protagonist Meursault. Due to the disturbance of French and Algeria ,the people got disturbed. By creating the character of Meursault Camus defined the conflict between French and Arab during the first half of the 19thcentury. Meursault has a disconnection with his world that and seems aloof .He seems to be much more interested in things correlating directly to him physically rather than the world around him and it’s emotional aspects. His life is absurd but also took turn after killing Arabs . As absurdity means the idea that nature and humans have no real reason for existing, it’ is the thoughts Meursault that align with existentialist view. He is not necessarily looking for meaning in anything he does .He simply goes about life , completely unaware of his morality. Everything about Meursault and the way his mind works and operates lies into alienation and society viewing him as an “Outsider”. That’s the reason he was compelled to kill the Arabs , because he was totally absurd and had nothing in his life. Even he had no feeling for his mother , because when he gets to know about the death of his mother He says

“Mama died today or yesterday may be , I don’t know .That doesn’t mean anything may

be it was yesterday”

So , it shows that now he is aloof and alienated from family and society. On the other hand Cocoon ,which explores the life of an individual and divulges any questions regarding the meaning of life and values of existence, named Panduranga Sangvikar.He looks life is as barrenven he doesn’t care about his father who spends money on his studies. He never took his life and education serious. He feels detached from his family and society as Meursault looks like in Camus's novel . But in Nemade's novel Panduranga seeks to find meaning in his life ,it gives the notion of Existentialism.Panduranga in Cocoon seeks ways to find meaning in life and in nothingness. Cocoon portrays a modern youth in the wake of drastic change in every sector of India. panduranga represents many unspoken modern youths , who feel alienated from society and family in the quest of themselves. Cocoon is considered to be the first existential novel of the Indian Literature. Existentialists believe that man is what he makes of himself, without any interference from god or society. The ultimate determining factor of existentialism is that an individual‘s self-determination and freedom of life is the central core of existence. Thus the individual has no recourse to any other determining factors like religion or any other outer force. He has to create his own meaning for his or her individual self since there are no meanings or rules which come before one‘s existence. In this perspective existential thought has derived the reputation of pessimism. Existentialism in Indian English Fiction brought new consciousness with new awareness of thought and self-expression, which came into prominence around the  middle of the twentieth century. The Post-colonial literature includes the colonial time and the time after colonization and it deconstructs the perceptions of old ideas and reactions of sovereignty and inferior status that were proficient during the time of colonialism. It also discusses the dispute of identity and ethnic belonging. The imperial powers came to alien states and ruined the aborigine tradition and culture. In addition, they repeatedly restored them with their tradition. Indian English novelists have successfully explored the existential struggle of characters in their novels by analyzing the individuality of man and his rejection of traditional values through his search for identity. The idea of finding meaning in life appears to be absurdand ridiculous. Even the tenets related to existentialism such as loneliness, alienation, fear and angst appear as pessimism. Nevertheless the philosophy of existentialism does not attain a negative approach to life and reality, rather the philosophy makes one understand the capabilities of an intellectual and conscious being to bring about positive change in his life and world. As it is seen that ,modern youth js disillusioned by the inequality, hidden castism, corruption , superstition and inactive government. Besides this ,modern technology has median’s life comfortable and materialistic .This is the reason when man starts getting himself in the world of isolation. Panduranga in the need of self quest , criticized and examines the society. He has no close friends to share his grief. Human beings are the finite beings. This statement is as factual as the existence of the human being. With this it is believed that there is a fundamental relationship between the community and death; death is considered as the integral part of the existence. Finitude is the condition or the state of being finite; this aspect has been prominent in the writings of the existentialists.

In fact the existentialists prefer the aspect of finitude to death. With this aspect these

philosophers explain that human beings have simply been thrown into existence and everyone must accept their inward awareness of their very own being. Each individual person’s existence is characterized by facticity, in other words, the individual has not chosen to be, but rather, he is just here.The aspect of death is as absurd as the existence of the human being. It is considered as the tragic element or the universal characteristic that is found with the existence of the being. If there is beginning of this human race, there will be end to it and that is called death. Death is an awareness which is present with everyone, that whatever exists in this Universe, is going to end one day.  

Martin Heidegger discussed the aspect of death in detail, and according to him there is a shift in death as the once-for-all observable fact at the end of life to the existent  inward awareness that his being is a being-towards-death. Death is already present as the most significant possibility in every individual’s existence. Each human being lives in the face of his end, the existence of the human being is uncertain and at any time it may vanish into nothingness. It is the last possibility of all the possibilities; it is the limit to existence for the human being and the world. 

Death is the possibility of the imposibility of any existence at all. Death is the main

theme in both novels. The scene of death in both novels target the protagonist (Meursault and Panduranga). As death of Meursault's mother was less affected. But in novel Cocoon , the death of Panduranga's sister was influential.

 But Albert Camus believes that humans could respond the  idea of  Absurdism in three ways “ physical suicide, philosophical suicide, and Acceptance. As both the characters are so frustrated that they even don’t care about the people .As Meursault kills Arabs ,same time Panduranga also wants to kill his family be says, 

“I said , I will murder father ,I will kill Grandmother. Then I will set fire to that whole

house .I will burn all their cadavers in that house”.  

So the same situation happens in novel The Outsider , when Meursault kills Arabs , he doesn’t feel guilty ,and has no feeling of apologies. The another major theme of the novels is religion.  The philosophy clearly explains that in this whole world only human being exists, and the other living beings such as the animals, vegetables, trees, plants, etc. do not exist in this world, they just are. This philosophy also argues about the most significant questions in the history of mankind, which are, the existence of the world and the existence of the  God. According to the existentialists, only the human beings exist and they exist in this world,

that is other things away from this world or outside this world, do not exist, and there is the issue whether the world exist or not. The existentialists also squabble about the existence of God. Friedrich Nietzsche’s famous declaration about God, expresses decline of religion and the rise of atheism. 

With the Nietzsche’s famous statement "God is dead", there is another assertion that even if God did exist, it would make no difference. It is also considered that if there is Universe, there is a Universe of human subjectivity. But the other existentialists have other views about Nietzsche’s pronouncement. According to Albert Camus, the death of God was insignificant and the human race had no need to have the threat of divine wrath to live a good life.    Both the protagonist do not believe in Religion. As Panduranga decided to got to Ajnta caves but he fails to compare his sorrow with the Buddha. He observes that there are hundreds of glimpses of sorrows on the face of Buddha, and thinks that his own sorrow is nothing .He even criticizes the people who believe in religion., Thus, he criticizes his sister  Mani who is died but had terrible faith in her religion. He states that “What Dharma could she have carried with her ? She had brought with her only her Karma . When she came, Her journey is verily her own. She is now free of all else.” So this lines of Panduranga makes it clear that he has no faith in God . He just wants to knot himself which is meaningless. The same thing occurs in Camus novel ,for Meursault God does not exist. He seems rational as Panduranga in cocoon. He rejects the notion of God . The scene of Magistrate and the scene of crucifixion during his trial symbolizes the refection of faith in religion. Through this ,we come to know that men who suffer from absurdity according to them religion has nothing to do with their lives. Nietzsche , the great existentialist declared “God Is dead”. So this notion is denoted in both novels. As for example Samuel Becket ,a quite know absurdist and existentialist mentioned in his play “Waiting for Godot “that God does not exist and writes “ Nothing happens nobody comes nobody goes it’s awful”. 

The abundant setting is also the feature of Absurdism and Existentialism. Both the

novelists have used abundant setting to gives the account of nothingness and lifelessness. 

Feminism today is construed as a multidisciplinary system of critical interrogation, theory and social action in which issues dealing with the political, economic, social, cultural, spiritual, intellectual, artistic, racial, sexual and institutionalized inequality of women in phallocentric societies are addressed. In other words, it is a systematic protest against various forms and manifestations of oppressions and inequalities experienced by women.

            Feminism is also a broad-based philosophical perspective that comprises several approaches, such as liberal, Marxist, radical, psychoanalytic, socialist, existential, and postmodern Existential feminism has probably been the most talked about feminist perspective. The basis of existential feminism is Simone de Beauvoir’s philosophical magnum opus The Second Sex. It speaks of the existential violence that plagues women because of their situation. According to de Beauvoir, patriarchy deflects woman from her existential destiny, immures her in “otherness,” and convinces her that her proclivity ought to be towards a certain notion of femininity and its pursuits .The protagonists of the novel have patriarchal influence. Both Meursault and Panduranga, give less respect to their women. They  humiliate them They disrespect Their women. They do not care about the feelings and thoughts of the women. When Meursault's girl friend asks him about marriage he replies “It didn’t make any difference to me and that we could if she wanted to” so here ,in the eye of Meursault there is nothing in human relations, according to him Mother ,son ,friends , husband , wife ,these all the futile. If we look at Panduranga ,he also detests such kind of relationship. He says ,

“The trouble is that each boy and girl has decided in advance How to fall in love .The way love proceeds in film and fiction. This is terrifying. There is no Novelty in love”.      

Therefore ,as like Meursault , Panduranga also has lost believe in love and husband wife relation .in this regard many existential feminists come into light to overthrow such kind of practices of the society.

So, in this way  Panduranga is an authentic ,who criticizes social and human hypocrisy and rejects the moral principles of the society. This authenticity is visible throughout the novel. He rejects the traditional life style .To take education to acquire good service , marriage , children, is boring routine to him. After his sister’s death he feels that death is the only solution of all disturbance. He thinks that the relief is only in death which tends him to feel his own self.

As like Panduranga , everything about Meursault and the way his mind works and operates ties into alienation society viewing him as an Outside. But, in prison he slowly began to gain awareness bringing him a step towards Existentialism. He finally came to an understanding of his thoughts conducting in inevitability of death. From this view, on comparative level ,both novels illustrate the journey of the protagonists from Absurdism to Existentialism.

Conclusion

The work reveals the scope of harmony among the human societies, since it deals with troubles and tribulations, that almost societies face after WWII. The universality of the both novels come from the main theme ,which is absurd as well as existential. Mainly, The Outsider deals with Absurdism but Cocoon conveys the theme of Existenlism  when the novel comes to an end. Both the novels have been labelled as one of the major  examples in Postmodernist art which explains the “collapsing of reality” . Both the characters seem as struggling to handle the world around them. The setting of the plays is also  abandoned.