University of Oregon

A Note on Nietzsche and Camus

Author(s): F. C. St. Aubyn
Source: Comparative Literature, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Spring, 1968), pp. 110-115
Published by: Duke University Press on behalf of the University of Oregon
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1770032
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F. C. ST. AUBYN
A No t e o n
Nie t zsche a n d Ca m u s
AMUS'
L'.8t ra n ge r
co n t in u e s t o fa scin a t e re a d e rs a n d
crit ics,
yo u n g
a n d o ld a like . This sho rt n o ve l
pro vid e s
a n a lm o st in e x-
ha u st ible
su bje ct
fo r
co m m e n t a ry
a n d
e xplica t io n .
Fo r m o re t ha n t we n -
t y ye a rs L'gt ra n ge r
ha s
gro wn
in st a t u re a n d
im po rt a n ce . Eve ry
scra p
o f in fo rm a t io n
co n ce rn in g
it ha s se rve d t o in cre a se it s
re pu t a t io n
a n d
pro vo ke gre a t e r
in t e re st .
Fu rt he r
in qu iry
is n e e d e d in t o t he in flu e n ce o f Nie t zsche o n a ll o f
Ca m u s' wo rks a n d m o re
pa rt icu la rly
o n
L'e t ra n ge r.
At le a st t wo
bo o ks ha ve be e n d e vo t e d t o t he
n o ve l,
o n e co n ce rn e d
prim a rily
wit h
it s
t ho u ght ,l
t he o t he r wit h it s
st yle .2
Ne it he r m e n t io n s Nie t zsche .
Ho we ve r,
we kn o w fro m Ca m u s' Ca rn e t s t ha t he re a d Nie t zsche a s
e a rly
a s 1938. The re he
qu o t e s d ire ct ly
bo t h The
Twilight o f
t he Id o ls
a n d
Hu m a n ,
All To o Hu m a n .8 Nie t zsche 's in flu e n ce o n Le
Myt he
d e
Sisyphe
is re ve a le d o n a lm o st
e ve ry pa ge ,
whe re he is m e n t io n e d o r
qu o t e d
fro m first t o la st .4 La t e r Ca m u s d e vo t e d a n a rt icle t o The Will
t o
Po we r,
which wa s first
pu blishe d
in Le s
Te m ps
m o d e rn e s5 in 1951
a n d in clu d e d in L'Ho m m e re vo lt e 6 t ha t sa m e
ye a r.
So m e wo rk ha s o f co u rse
a lre a d y
be e n d o n e o n t he
su bje ct .
Tho m a s
Ha n n a
a n a lyze d
a t
le n gt h
Nie t zsche 's in flu e n ce o n Ca m u s' id e a o f re -
vo lt .7
He n ry
Bo n n ie r n o t e d Za ra t hu st ra 's in flu e n ce o n
Ca ligu la
a n d
1 Ro be rt
Cha m pign y,
Su r u n he ro s
pa ie n (Pa ris, 1959).
2M.-G.
Ba rrie r,
L'Art d u re cit d a n s
"L'St ra n ge r"
d 'Albe rt Ca m u s
(Pa ris,
1962).
s
Ca rn e t s,
m a i 1935-fe vrie r 1942
(Pa ris, 1962);
The
Twilight o f
t he
Go d s, pp.
119,174; Hu m a n ,
All To o
Hu m a n , pp.
119-120.
4
Le
Myt he
d e
Sisyphe ,
n o u ve lle e d it io n
a u gm e n t e e
d 'u n e e t u d e su r Fra n z
Ka fka
(Pa ris,
1942
[1946]), pp. 15, 39, 89, 95, 113, 130, 146,
176.
5
"Nie t zsche e t le
n ihilism e ," Te m ps m o d e rn e s, Apr. 1951, pp.
399-407.
6L'Ho m m e re vo lt e
(Pa ris, 1951), pp.
88-105.
7
Tho m a s
Ha n n a ,
The
Tho u ght
a n d Art
o f
Albe rt Ca m t u s
(Chica go , 1958),
pp.
87-90.
110
NIETZSCHE AND CAMUS
fo u n d a d ire ct
qu o t a t io n
fro m t he
philo so phe r
in t he
pla y.8.
Miss
Bre e , a s
is he r
wo n t ,
ha s d o n e m o st t o
cla rify
t he
pro ble m .
Wit h t he e n o rm o u s re -
so u rce s a t he r co m m a n d she wa s a ble t o re fe r t o Ca m u s'
qu o t a t io n s
fro m Nie t zsche in his Ca rn e t s e ve n be fo re t he la t t e r we re
pu blishe d .9
She fo u n d t he
vo ca bu la ry
o f t he st ill
u n pu blishe d
La Mo rt he u re u se
re m in isce n t o f Nie t zsche
(p. 70),
d e lin e a t e d Nie t zsche 's in flu e n ce o n
Ca m u s'
co n ce pt
o f
t ra ge d y,
bo t h
in d ire ct ly t hro u gh
t he
writ in gs
o f
An t o n in Art a u d
(p. 144)
a n d
d ire ct ly t hro u gh
Ca m u s' o wn
re a d in g
(p. 147),
a n d co m m e n t e d o n Nie t zsche 's in flu e n ce o n Ca m u s'
co n ce pt
o f t he a bsu rd
(p. 192).
She st a t e s
u n e qu ivo ca lly:
Nie t zsche he re a d
t ho ro u ghly
a n d wit h
pa ssio n a t e
a t t e n t io n a ft e r
1937,
a n d he wa s
fight in g a ga in st
Nie t zsche m o re t ha n
a n y
o t he r
philo so phe r,
o r a t le a st
a ga in st
ce rt a in fa ce t s o f Nie t zsche 's
t ho u ght [p. 196].
An d o f co u rse Miss Bre e d iscu sse d Ca m u s' t re a t m e n t o f Nie t zsche in
L'Ho m m e re vo lt e
(p. 225).
Cha rle s Mo e lle r ha d
a lre a d y
in d ica t e d ce r-
t a in
a spe ct s
o f Ca m u s'
st ru ggle a ga in st
Nie t zsche .10
J.-C.
Brisville
a gre e d
t ha t Ca m u s d isco ve re d Nie t zsche a ro u n d 193711 a n d in d ica t e d
his in flu e n ce o n Le
Myt he
d e
Sisyphe (p. 45)
a s we ll a s o n L'Ho m m e
re vo lt e a n d La Pe st e
(pp. 177-178). Jo hn
Cru icksha n k
pla ce d
Ca m u s'
re a d in g
o f Nie t zsche be t we e n 1936 a n d 1939 a n d sho we d se ve ra l in -
st a n ce s o f co ro lla rie s a n d co n t ra st s be t we e n t he t wo writ e rs' id e a s.12
Miss Ga d o u re k
pu she d
Ca m u s'
re a d in g
o f Nie t zsche ba ck t o t he
a ge
o f
sixt e e n ,
t ha t
is,
t o 1929.13 She a lso m e n t io n e d t he in flu e n ce o f The
Will t o Po we r o n
Ca ligu la (p. 42),
o f
Hu m a n ,
All To o Hu m a n o n
L'.t ra n ge r (p.
78,
n o t e
75,
a n d
pp.
80,
84),
a n d o f The
Twilight o f
t he
Id o ls o n La Pe st e
(p. 117).
Mo re
re ce n t ly
Ad e le
Kin g
n o t
o n ly
a n a -
lyze d a ga in
Ca m u s'
st u d y
o f Nie t zsche bu t a lso fo u n d e vid e n ce o f a n
in flu e n ce o n No ce s.14
In t his
e ssa y
we ha ve lim it e d o u rse lve s t o Also
spra ch
Za ra t hu st ra
a n d
L'Et ra n ge r
in t he
ho pe
o f
d e m o n st ra t in g
t he
t ype
o f t e xt u a l
a n a ly-
sis a n d
co m pa riso n
n e e d e d fo r a ll o f Ca m u s' wo rks.
Thro u gho u t
t he
first
pa rt
o f t he n o ve l a lm o st
e ve ryt hin g
t ha t
m ight pro pe rly
be ca lle d
Nie t zsche a n re m a in s
im plicit .
Me u rsa u lt
e xpre sse s
fe w cle a r-cu t
id e a s,
8
He n ry Bo n n ie r,
Albe rt Ca m u s o u la
fo rce
d 'e t re
(Pa ris, 1959), p.
92.
9
Ge rm a in e
Bre e , Ca m u s,
re vise d e d .
(Ne w Bru n swick,
1959
[1964]), p.
47.
10
Cha rle s
Mo e lle r,
Lit t e ra t u re d u XXe sie cle e t christ ia n ism e :
I,
Sile n ce d e
Die u
(Pa ris, 1954), pp. 33,
40.
11
Je a n -Cla u d e Brisville ,
Ca m u s
(Pa ris, 1959), p.
24.
12
Jo hn Cru icksha n k,
Albe rt Ca m u s a n d t he Lit e ra t u re
o f
Re vo lt
(Ne w
Yo rk:
1960
[1959]), pp. 15, 10, 45, 100, 105,
178.
13
Ca rin a
Ga d o u re k,
Le s In n o ce n t s e t le s co u pa ble s: Essa i d 'e x
e gse
d e I'cVu vre
d 'Albe rt Ca m u s
(The Ha gu e , 1963), p.
14.
14
Ad e le
Kin g,
Albe rt Ca m u s
(Ne w Yo rk, 1964), pp.
32-33.
111
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
re ve a ls fe w we ll-d e fin e d a t t it u d e s. Eve n t he
a t m o sphe re
is Nie t zsche a n
o n ly
in so fa r a s
e ve ryt hin g
Me u rsa u lt
sa ys
a n d d o e s illu st ra t e s Za ra t hu s-
t ra 's d e cla ra t io n : "Le ib bin ich
ga n z
u n d
ga r,
u n d n icht s
a u Be rd e m ;
u n d Se e le ist n u r e in Wo rt fu r e in Et wa s a m Le ibe .15" No
qu e st io n
o f
gre a t
lo ve o r
d e e p so rro w, pro fo u n d
ha t e o r
po we rfu l
d ist a t e is
ra ise d ,
n o
pro ble m
o f
bo d y a ga in st
so u l is
po se d . On ly
Me u rsa u lt 's e n n u i is
t ho ro u ghly e xplo re d . On ly
his la ck o f
a m bit io n ,
a ce rt a in
fe ckle ssn e ss,
is
la id ba re . Ot he rwise a lm o st a ll is
physica l,
his
fa t igu e ,
his re a ct io n t o
t he
d irt y
t o we l a n d t o t he
he a t ,
his
hu n ge r,
his
ple a su re
while swim -
m in g,
his re la t io n s wit h Ma rie . Asid e fro m
t win ge s
o f
gu ilt
whe n he
is
in n o ce n t ,
flicke rs o f
sym pa t hy
fo r Sa la m a n o a n d his
d o g, glim m e rs
o f
u n d e rst a n d in g
o f
Em m a n u e l,
a n d a n in d iffe re n t frie n d lin e ss wit h
Ra y-
m o n d ,
Me u rsa u lt se e m s t o be a ll
bo d y
a n d n o so u l. Alm o st t he
o n ly
t im e his in n e r
se n sit ivit y
is re ve a le d is a t t he m o m e n t t he
co rt e ge be gin s
it s
lo n g,
ho t wa lk t o t he chu rch. The n Me u rsa u lt
sa ys:
Je re ga rd a i
la
ca m pa gn e
a u t o u r d e m o i. A t ra ve rs le s
lign e s
d e
cypre s qu i
m e n a ie n t
a u x co llin e s
pre s
d u
cie l,
ce t t e t e rre ro u sse e t
ve rt e ,
ce s m a iso n s ra re s e t bie n
d e ssin e e s, je co m pre n a is
m a m a n .16
Su ch
d iva ga t io n s
a re a lm o st in co n sist e n t wit h t he cha ra ct e r Ca m u s
ha s
go n e
t o su ch
le n gt hs
t o e st a blish fo r Me u rsa u lt
u p
t o t his
po in t .
St ylist ica lly, ho we ve r,
Ca m u s n e e d e d t o re ve a l so m e
glim pse
o f t his
a spe ct
o f Me u rsa u lt 's
t e m pe ra m e n t
if t he d e n o u e m e n t wa s t o be be lie v-
a ble . On e re m e m be rs Nie t zsche 's st a t e m e n t which re ve a ls a sim ila r
se n sit ivit y
t o n a t u re in
ge n e ra l
a n d t o t re e s in
pa rt icu la r:
Wiird ig
wisse n Wa ld u n d Fe ls m it d ir zu
schwe ige n .
Gle iche wie d e r d e m
Ba u m e ,
d e n d u
lie bst ,
d e m
bre it a st ige n :
st ill u n d a u fho rche n d
ha n gt
e r iibe r d e m Me e re .17
Ot he rwise t he Nie t zsche a n e cho e s a n d a t t it u d e s re m a in fa in t a n d ill-
d e fin e d in Pa rt On e .
In Pa rt
Two , ho we ve r,
whe n Me u rsa u lt is
pu she d
t o his
lim it s,
whe n he ha s n o cho ice bu t t o lo o k
clo se ly
a t t he
m e a n in g
o f life a n d
d e a t h,
whe n
fin a lly pro vo ke d su fficie n t ly by
t he
priso n cha pla in ,
his re a so n -
in g
a n d his
ve ry figu re s
o f
spe e ch
re se m ble t ho se o f Za ra t hu st ra . Eve n
be fo re t he
cha pla in 's
visit while Me u rsa u lt is
co n t e m pla t in g
his se n -
t e n ce ,
he
co m pla in s
t o him se lf:
Le fa it
qu e
la se n t e n ce ... a va it e t e
po rt e e
a u cre d it d 'u n e n o t io n a u ssi
im pre cise
15
Frie d rich
Nie t zsche ,
Also
spra ch Za ra t hu st ra ,
m it Pe t e r Ga st s
Ein fiihru n g
u n d e in e m Na chwo rt vo n Alfre d Ba e u m le r
(Le ipzig, 1930), p.
34.
16
Albe rt
Ca m u s, L'llt ra n ge r,
e d . Ge rm a in e Bre e a n d Ca rlo s
Lyn e s, Jr.,
wit h
a n
"Ava n t -pro po s" by
Ca m u s
(Ne w Yo rk, 1955), p.
33.
17
Nie t zsche , Za ra t hu st ra , p.
54.
112
NIETZSCHE AND CAMUS
qu e
le
pe u ple fra n ca is
(o u a lle m a n d ,
o u
chin o is),
il m e se m bla it
qu e
t o u t ce la
e n le va it
be a u co u p
d e se rie u x a u n e t e lle d e cisio n .18
Wha t is fo r Me u rsa u lt a
va gu e
n o t io n is fo r Nie t zsche a
d o wn right
lie :
"St a a t he il3t d a s ka lt e st e a lle r ka lt e n
Un ge he u e r.
Ka lt
liigt
e s
a u ch;
u n d d ie se
Liige
krie cht a u s se in e m Mu n d e :
'Ich,
d e r
St a a t , bin d a s
Vo lk.' "19 While t he d iffe re n ce in t o n e be t we e n t he se t wo st a t e m e n t s
illu st ra t e s t he ra d ica l d iffe re n ce be t we e n t he he sit a n t Me u rsa u lt a n d
t he
d o gm a t ic Za ra t hu st ra ,
t he
id e a ,
a lt ho u gh e xpre sse d
fro m
o ppo sit e
po in t s
o f
vie w,
re m a in s t he sa m e .
Eve n m o re m a rke d is t he re se m bla n ce be t we e n Me u rsa u lt 's re a ct io n s
t o t he
cha pla in 's
a sse rt io n s a n d t he ba sic id e a s o f Nie t zsche . Whe n t he
prie st sa ys: "Je
su is siu r
qu 'il
vo u s e st a rrive d e so u ha it e r u n e a u t re
vie ,"20
he d o e s n o t m e a n a n o t he r life a ft e r d e a t h bu t a life d iffe re n t
fro m t he o n e Me u rsa u lt ha s live d .
Ne ve rt he le ss,
Me u rsa u lt 's
re plie s
t o
t he
prie st 's qu e st io n s,
"N'a ve z-vo u s d o n c a u cu n
e spo ir
e t vive z-vo u s
a ve c la
pe n se e qu e
vo u s a lle z m o u rir t o u t e n t ie r ?"
(p. 134)
a n d "Aim e z-
vo u s d o n c ce t t e t e rre a ce
po in t ?" (p. 135),
a n d
e ve ryt hin g
he
sa ys
in
his d ia t ribe
a ga in st
t he
prie st
re ca lls Ca m u s' st a t e m e n t in Le
Myt he
d e
Sisyphe :
Espo ir
d 'u n e a u t re vie
qu 'il
fa u t
"m e rit e r,"
o u t riche rie d e ce u x
qu i
vive n t n o n
po u r
la vie
e lle -m e m e ,
m a is
po u r qu e lqu e gra n d e
id e e
qu i
la
d e pa sse ,
le
su blim e ,
lu i
d o n n e u n se n s e t la t ra hit .21
Me u rsa u lt in his
fre n zy
is t he
ve ry
in ca rn a t io n o f Za ra t hu st ra 's e xho r-
t a t io n s: "Ich be schw6re e u ch m e in e
Briid e r,
ble ibt d e r Erd e t re u u n d
gla u bt
d e n e n
n icht ,
we lche e u ch vo n iibe rird ische n
Ho ffn u n ge n
re d e n !
Gift m ische r sin d
e s,
o b sie e s wisse n o d e r n icht ."22 In t his
gre a t e st t hin g
t ha t o n e ca n
e xpe rie n ce ,
t his "ho u r o f
gre a t co n t e m pt "
a s Nie t zsche
pu t s it ,
Me u rsa u lt co u ld sho u t wit h Za ra t hu st ra "m e in Gliick so llt e d a s
Da se in se lbe r
re cht fe rt ige n " (p. 10).
This sa m e
po in t
o f vie w is o f
co u rse Me u rsa u lt 's
u n d o in g.
He is n o t co n d e m n e d fo r
killin g
a m a n bu t
fo r n o t
we e pin g
a t his m o t he r's fu n e ra l. Be ca u se he is
u n willin g
t o
a ssu m e t he
hypo crisie s
o f t he wo rld he is a m o n st e r who m u st be
e lim in a t e d . Za ra t hu st ra wa rn s him : "Un d hiit e d ich vo r d e n Gu t e n
u n d Ge re cht e n ! Sie
kre u zige n ge rn e d ie ,
we lche sich ihre
e ign e Tu ge n d
e rfin d e n ,-sie
ha sse n d e n Ein sa m e n "
(p. 68).
The
po in t
is so
im po rt a n t
t ha t Nie t zsche
re pe a t s
it : "Die Gu t e n m iisse n d e n
kre u zige n ,
d e r sich
se in e
e ign e Tu ge n d
e rfin d e t ! Da s ist d ie Wa hrhe it !"
(p. 234).
Su ch a
18
Ca m u s, L'Jt ra n ge r, p.
126.
19
Nie t zsche , Za ra t hu st ra , p.
51.
20
Ca m u s,
L'Jlt ra n ge r,
p.
136.
21
Ca m u s,
Le
Myt he
d e
Sisyphe , p.
21.
22
Nie t zsche , Za ra t hu st ra , p.
9.
113
COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
d ia le ct ic le a d s Me u rsa u lt t o t he in e vit a ble co n clu sio n
e xpre sse d by
Za ra t hu st ra : "Wie wo llt e t ihr
ge ge n
m ich
ge re cht
se in !-m u lt d u
spre che n -ich
e rwa hle m ir e u re
Un ge re cht igke it
a ls d e n m ir
zu ge -
m e Bn e n Te il"
(pp. 67-68).
Wha t
pre o ccu pie s
Me u rsa u lt a bo u t t his
im m in e n t a n d in e vit a ble d e a t h is t he
t we n t y ye a rs u n spe n t .
Fo r t he first
t im e t his m a n who ha s live d
o n ly
in a n d fo r t he
pre se n t a t t e m pt s
t o
a n a lyze
t he
m e a n in g
o f t he
pa st
fo r t he
pre se n t
a n d ca re s
e n o u gh
t o
pro je ct
him se lf in t o his o wn
fu t u re ,
fo re sho rt e n e d a s it is
by
his co n -
d e m n a t io n t o d e a t h.
On e
figu re
o f
spe e ch
which se e m s
a t ypica l
o f t he m a n Me u rsa u lt a s
t he re a d e r ha s kn o wn him
u p
t o t his
po in t
a n d
ye t a ppro pria t e
t o a
m in d in su ch a
he ight e n e d
st a t e o f a wa re n e ss ha s t o d o wit h t he win d
o f t he fu t u re :
Du fo n d d e m o n
a ve n ir, pe n d a n t
t o u t e ce t t e vie a bsu rd e
qu e j'a va is m e n e e ,
so n
so u ffle o bscu r re m o n t a it ve rs m o i a t ra ve rs d e s a n n e e s
qu i
n 'e t a ie n t
pa s
e n co re
ve n u e s e t u n so u ffle
e ga lisa it
su r so n
pa ssa ge
t o u t ce
qu 'o n
m e
pro po sa it
a lo rs d a n s
le s a n n e e s
pa s plu s
re e lle s
qu e je
viva is.23
Ha n n a ha s
in t e rpre t e d
t his win d a s "d e a t h which
e qu a lize s
a ll."24 Ce r-
t a in ly
Ca m u s wo u ld se e m t o be
sa yin g
t ha t ,
bu t a lso m u ch m o re . "So u ffle
o bscu r" is a
la rge r co n ce pt ,
like
d e st in y, in vo lvin g
life
ye t u n live d ,
o f
which d e a t h is
o n ly
a
pa rt .
Ot he rwise Ca m u s'
co u plin g
o f
"privile ge d "
a n d "co n d e m n e d " in Me u rsa u lt 's
su bse qu e n t m u sin gs
wo u ld n o t be
ve ry m e a n in gfu l.
The fin a l t wist in Me u rsa u lt 's d ia le ct ic wo u ld re m a in
u n re so lve d . As Nie t zsche
pu t s
it s: "Wa che t u n d
ho rcht ,
ihr Ein -
sa m e n ! Vo n d e r Zu ku n ft he r ko m m e n Win d e m it he im liche m
Fliige l-
schla ge n ;
u n d a n fe in e Ohre n
e rge ht gu t e
Bo t scha ft ."25 Me u rsa u lt fin d s
so m e co n so la t io n in t his "d a rk win d " bu t he wo u ld n o t se e m t o fin d
"pe a ce
wit h t he wo rld a n d
u n it y
wit h his
fe llo wm e n ,"26
a s Ha n n a wo u ld
ha ve it .
The
po in t
is t ha t Me u rsa u lt is n e ve r re co n cile d wit h
m a n kin d ,
o r if he
is,
it is in t he m o st Nie t zsche a n
wa y.
The
pro o f
is fo u n d in t he la st
se n t e n ce o f Ca m u s' n o ve l:
Po u r
qu e
t o u t so it
co n so m m e , po u r qu e je
m e se n t e m o in s
se u l,
il m e re st a it a
so u ha it e r, qu 'il y
a it
be a u co u p
d e
spe ct a t e u rs
le
jo u r
d e m o n e xe cu t io n e t
qu 'ils
m 'a ccu e ille n t a ve s d e s cris d e ha in e .27
Me u rsa u lt ha s cho se n a s Za ra t hu st ra cho se in t he
a lre a d y qu o t e d
st a t e -
m e n t ,
"ich e rwihle m ir e u re
Un ge re cht igke it
a ls d e n m ir
zu ge m e l3n e n
23
Ca m u s, L'St ra n ge r, p.
137.
24
Ha n n a , Tho u ght
a n d Art
o f Ca m u s, p.
46.
25
Nie t zsche , Za ra t hu st ra , p.
83.
26
Ha n n a , Tho u ght
a n d Art
o f Ca m n u s, p.
47.
27
Ca m u s, L'St ra n ge r, p.
138.
114
NIETZSCHE AND CAMUS
Te il." In t his se n se Me u rsa u lt a lso
sa ys
wit h
Za ra t hu st ra ,
"Wicht ig
n e hm e n a lle d a s St e rbe n : a be r n o ch ist d e r To d ke in
Fe st ,"
who
go e s
o n t o
sa y,
"Also so llt e m a n st e rbe n
le rn e n ;
u n d e s so llt e ke in Fe st
ge be n ,
wo e in so lche r St e rbe n d e r n icht d e n Le be n d e n Schwiire we iht e ."28
On ly
if t he re a re
m a n y spe ct a t o rs, o n ly
if a fin e fe st iva l is m a d e o f
Me u rsa u lt 's e xe cu t io n ca n his d e a t h be
m e a n in gfu l. On ly by
su ch a
d e a t h ca n he co n se cra t e t he
cu rse s,
t he crie s o f ha t re d o f t he
livin g.
As
Ca m u s
pu t
it in Le
Myt he
d e
Sisyphe :
"II
s'a git
d e m o u rir irre co n cilie
e t n o n
pa s
d e
ple in gre ."29
Su ch
co m pa riso n s
a n d co n t ra st s be t we e n t he
t ho u ght
a n d
st yle
o f
Nie t zsche a n d Ca m u s a re
o n ly
t he o bvio u s o n e s. A m u ch m o re d e t a ile d
a n a lysis
o f t he Ge rm a n
philo so phe r's
in flu e n ce o n Ca m u s m u st be
u n d e rt a ke n if we a re t o
co m pre he n d
Nie t zsche 's fu ll
im po rt
fo r t he
t we n t ie t h
ce n t u ry.
While
bu ild in g
o n t he
pa st
like a ll
writ e rs,
Ca m u s
fo u ght a ga in st
Nie t zsche 's
id e a s,
a s Miss Bre e ha s sho wn . In so
d o in g
he o ft e n t o o k a s m u ch a s he re fu se d .3
Elm ira
Co lle ge
28
Nie t zsche ,
Za ra t hu st ra , p. 76.
29
Ca m u s,
Le
Myt he
d e
Sisyphe , p.
78.
30
Aft e r t his a rt icle wa s in
pro o f,
t he a u t ho r ha d t he
o ppo rt u n it y
t o co n su lt t he
48-pa ge m o n o gra ph by
Bria n T.
Fit ch,
"Na rra t e u r e t n a rra t io n d a n s
L'Et ra n ge r
d 'Albe rt
Ca m u s,"
Archive s d e s Le t t re s
Mo d e rn e s,
No . 34
(1960),
a n d t he bo o k
by
Pie rre -Ge o rge s Ca st e x,
Albe rt Ca m u s e t
"L'Et ra n ge r" (Pa ris, 1965).
Ne it he r
m e n t io n s Nie t zsche .
115