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Cover of The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus

The Myth of Sisyphus

Albert Camus

  • 169 pages · about 3 hours
  • First published 1942
  • 82 editions
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1 About this book

The Myth of Sisyphus (French: Le mythe de Sisyphe) is a 1942 philosophical work by Albert Camus. Influenced by philosophers such as Søren Kierkegaard, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Friedrich Nietzsche, Camus introduces his philosophy of the absurd. The absurd lies in the juxtaposition between the fundamental human need to attribute meaning to life and the "unreasonable silence" of the universe in response. Camus claims that the realization of the absurd does not justify suicide, and instead requires "revolt". He then outlines several approaches to the absurd life. In the final chapter, Camus compares the absurdity of man's life with the situation of Sisyphus, a figure of Greek mythology who was condemned to repeat forever the same meaningless task of pushing a boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again just as it nears the top. The essay concludes, "The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

Summary adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Good for readers who want: philosophy, essays, and mythology.

  • Existentialism
  • Philosophy
  • French Philosophy
  • Essays
  • Mythology
  • Modern Philosophy
  • Life
  • Suicide

2 About Albert Camus

1913–1960

Albert Camus ( kam-OO; French: ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, writer, and political activist. He was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history, and the first laureate in literature born in Africa. His works include The Stranger, The Plague, The Myth of Sisyphus, The Fall and The Rebel. Camus was born in French Algeria to pied-noir parents.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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