Albert Camus understood the novel as philosophy translated into images. His characters embody ethical theorems and enact the respective patterns of behaviour. This applies also to Tarrou, besides Rieux and Rambert one of the main characters in Camus’ novel The Plague,which was begun and secretly spread as an underground testimony during the author’s time at the résistance newspaper Combat,to be published in its complete form in 1947. Four main discourses intersect in Tarrou. His persona is constituted by the discourses of Truth, History, Life and Death. The following is an examination of them and the relations between them. (The relations are signalled to some extent by ‘links’ in capital letters). Since Camus shaped Tarrou in part after himself - Tarrou’s biography resembles Camus’ unfinished autobiographyThe First Man- this may also shed some light on the intellectual and emotional forces at work in Camus when he was writing down The Plague. No character in The Plaguehas a stronger and more explicit relationship to truth than Tarrou. He distrusts the consoling quality of lies. Even when he faces the possibility to be infected with plague and is thus confronted with his own DEATH, he repeatedly insists that Rieux tells him the truth about his condition. (cf. 284, 287) But this is the only occasion when Tarrou is in need of learning the truth. He says about himself that he has “little left to learn.” (129) When asked whether he really thinks he knows everything about life, he answers in the affirmative. (cf. 130) Tarrou’s relationship to truth is essentially a Freudian one. Taking a stance very close to that of Freud’s Thoughts for the Times on War and Death,he lives life in acceptance of the true yet unappealing nature of man. Freud argues that we are, by nature, murderously inclined toward others, and that civilization can suppress this primitive instinct but can never root it out completely. This is what Tarrou means when he says: “We can’t stir a finger in this world without the risk of bringing death to somebody.” (252) The instinct to kill may break through in all our actions, even in those that seem insignificant to us. The condemnation of man to his own nature is total; there are no exceptions. Tarrou declares that he himself is like everybody else in not being able to escape from human nature, “each of us has the plague within him; no one, no one on earth is free from it.” (253) [...]
Table of Contents
Introduction
Truth
History
Life
Death
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the character of Tarrou in Albert Camus’ novel The Plague, analyzing how his persona is constructed through the intersecting discourses of truth, history, life, and death, while exploring the parallels between his personal trauma and his path toward a secular form of sanctity.
- The relationship between personal trauma and moral development.
- The intersection of Freudian psychoanalytic theory and Camus’ existential philosophy.
- The conceptualization of "the plague" as a metaphor for human nature and guilt.
- The tension between historical awareness and the necessity of living "just life."
- The definition and embodiment of a secular saint through the lens of individual sacrifice.
Excerpt from the Book
TRUTH
No character in The Plague has a stronger and more explicit relationship to truth than Tarrou. He distrusts the consoling quality of lies. Even when he faces the possibility to be infected with plague and is thus confronted with his own DEATH, he repeatedly insists that Rieux tells him the truth about his condition. (cf. 284, 287) But this is the only occasion when Tarrou is in need of learning the truth. He says about himself that he has “little left to learn.” (129) When asked whether he really thinks he knows everything about life, he answers in the affirmative. (cf. 130)
Tarrou’s relationship to truth is essentially a Freudian one. Taking a stance very close to that of Freud’s Thoughts for the Times on War and Death, he lives life in acceptance of the true yet unappealing nature of man. Freud argues that we are, by nature, murderously inclined toward others, and that civilization can suppress this primitive instinct but can never root it out completely. This is what Tarrou means when he says: “We can’t stir a finger in this world without the risk of bringing death to somebody.” (252) The instinct to kill may break through in all our actions, even in those that seem insignificant to us.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter outlines the premise that Camus’ characters embody ethical theorems, identifying Tarrou’s persona as being constructed from four core discourses: truth, history, life, and death.
Truth: This section explores Tarrou’s Freudian relationship with reality, arguing that he accepts the inherently murderous nature of humanity and advocates for a vigilance that denies comforting illusions.
History: This chapter analyzes how a traumatizing youth event shapes Tarrou’s world view, leading him to a critical, Nietzschean condemnation of the past and a recognition of his own complicity in human guilt.
Life: This section details Tarrou’s existential approach to living under the human condition, emphasizing his rejection of heroism and his focus on the simple endurance of existence without talking for the sake of merit.
Death: This concluding chapter argues that Tarrou’s choice to side with victims and his eventual death serve as the final validation of his goal to achieve a secular form of sanctity through self-sacrifice.
Keywords
Albert Camus, The Plague, Tarrou, Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche, Truth, History, Trauma, Existentialism, Sanctity, Human Nature, Guilt, Sacrifice, Victimhood, Moral Responsibility
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the character Tarrou in Albert Camus' The Plague and analyzes how his identity is shaped by the interplay of truth, history, life, and death.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The work covers existentialism, psychoanalytic trauma theory, historical criticism, and the ethics of human behavior in times of crisis.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to provide an "anatomy of the saint" by examining how Tarrou reconciles his personal trauma with a commitment to truth and moral action in the face of inevitable human suffering.
Which scientific or theoretical methods are used?
The author employs literary analysis combined with philosophical and psychoanalytic frameworks, specifically referencing Freud’s work on war and death, and Nietzsche’s theories on the critical use of history.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines four distinct discourses: how Tarrou deals with truth, the impact of his past on his view of history, his existential philosophy of life, and the role of his death in achieving sanctity.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include existentialism, trauma, secular sanctity, human nature, and moral responsibility.
How does Tarrou’s view of "the plague" differ from a literal infection?
Tarrou views the plague as a metaphor for the inherent, latent destructive instincts within all human beings, which one must constantly work to contain.
In what way does the author argue that Tarrou achieves "sanctity"?
The author argues that Tarrou achieves a secular form of sanctity by rejecting heroism, accepting his own guilt, and ultimately sacrificing himself to alleviate the suffering of others.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2002, The Anatomy of the Saint: Tarrou in Camus' The Plague, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/60798
