Character of Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus
Meursault is the chief protagonist of the Albert Camus's The Stranger. He is bit taciturn and passive about the life's events. Neither life's joyous moments like marriage proposals nor devastating events like mother's death lead to either breakdown or ecstatic for him. In other words, when he gets the news of his mother's death, he doesn't lost his nerves and just want to finish the funeral ceremonies and return to his work. He keeps thinking about his boss's opinion about him taking a leave on this serious business. Marie's proposal to him too produces no jubilant response from him. In fact, marriage is not important to him. He responds to her that he could marry if it gives her happiness. Such is his queer personality.
Till he murder of the Arab, he is just a silent spectator moving on his life without any future wishes. We don't find him nurturing any dream nor he has any ambitions. In spite of the novel narrated in the first person by Meursault himself, there are so many unanswered questions about him. The most significant is the rationale behind murdering an Arab who was an enemy of Raymond, but the not the personal enemy of Meursault. Even if it is said that he shot him because he is his friend's enemy, even so, we don't find any indignant feeling of Meursault earlier. And the fact that he shot him four times adds more to the mystery. From the novel, we get a view that Meursault is baffled by the scorching tropical heat of Algiers which deviates his sense and the sudden fear of tackling the Arab make him pull the trigger and his undoing is begin in that moment.
He is accused of being a ruthless man who refuses to see his mother's face after her death. His unawareness of his mother's age at the times of her death is also used by the Public Prosecutor to prove him an unpardonable convict and he succeeds in doing that. He also uses the information that Meursault is indifferent of his mother's death and just after his return he makes love with his girlfriend, Marie. Instead of mourning and waiting for a bit longer, he enjoys his life with her, going Cinema and swimming.
Besides his act of murdering, his only other mistake is being a stranger to the societal norms. He is too preoccupied in the present and not concerning with either past or future. This carefree attitude paves the way for his execution. As he is an atheist, he refuses to see the Chaplain days before his execution. But the Priest comes to him and talks with him. At the end of their unfruitful talk, one good thing emerges i.e. his frustation gets an outlet and he feels relieved and hopes for a start over.
Till he murder of the Arab, he is just a silent spectator moving on his life without any future wishes. We don't find him nurturing any dream nor he has any ambitions. In spite of the novel narrated in the first person by Meursault himself, there are so many unanswered questions about him. The most significant is the rationale behind murdering an Arab who was an enemy of Raymond, but the not the personal enemy of Meursault. Even if it is said that he shot him because he is his friend's enemy, even so, we don't find any indignant feeling of Meursault earlier. And the fact that he shot him four times adds more to the mystery. From the novel, we get a view that Meursault is baffled by the scorching tropical heat of Algiers which deviates his sense and the sudden fear of tackling the Arab make him pull the trigger and his undoing is begin in that moment.
He is accused of being a ruthless man who refuses to see his mother's face after her death. His unawareness of his mother's age at the times of her death is also used by the Public Prosecutor to prove him an unpardonable convict and he succeeds in doing that. He also uses the information that Meursault is indifferent of his mother's death and just after his return he makes love with his girlfriend, Marie. Instead of mourning and waiting for a bit longer, he enjoys his life with her, going Cinema and swimming.
Besides his act of murdering, his only other mistake is being a stranger to the societal norms. He is too preoccupied in the present and not concerning with either past or future. This carefree attitude paves the way for his execution. As he is an atheist, he refuses to see the Chaplain days before his execution. But the Priest comes to him and talks with him. At the end of their unfruitful talk, one good thing emerges i.e. his frustation gets an outlet and he feels relieved and hopes for a start over.
Comments
Post a Comment