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Essay: Myth of Sisyphus - Camus

K

KivanAtaris

New Member
For Reference the Essay is listed here (I can't post the link so copy these together, or google it):

http://dbanach.com/sisyphus.htm

I'm trying to gain some clarity on Camus' thought on why Sisyhpus is happy. I understand he has been given meaning and a journey by having his thing (rock) and his purpose (roll it up the mountain) -which he relates to the modern laborer, but does Sisyphus not yearn for leisure or love? Does he not care about his muscles in constant ache or his skin in constant sweat? Has he entirely lost hope of getting out of his situation? I'm wondering if his full acceptance of his fate drives his happiness.

Thanks, just trying to work through this one. I'm sure there's an answer I'm missing.

Thoughts?
 
It seems to me that Camus is saying that Sisyphus is no longer looking to the past, doing so is a source of grief; now his task is his purpose and he looks to forward to it.

Any new thoughts about this essay, KivanAtaris?
 
Occlith,

I agree with that...and I think almost as importantly I want to agree with that.

I think I'm missing the 'How' piece. How is Sisyphus able to not look at the past...or even hope for the future? I know he's described as incredibly wise, but for him to be able to get over knowing that he will not feel the warmth of sunshine, or the passion of love, or simple friendship is rather difficult for me to fathom. And furthermore, would he not hold out at least the smallest of hope that the Gods would give him reprieve? I suppose over an infinite period of time he would, at some point, inevitably get over those things, but, if we hold the infinity argument, would he not come back to wanting those things again at some point? Or is it if he's become happy - there's no reason for him to yearn otherwise? Though, I think with human nature, no matter how satisfied we are with something, at some point we lose that satisfaction and long for something different. I may be taking his metaphor too literal, but maybe I'm not.

Thanks for the response! Just working through this and jotting down some notes here.
 
I read this two nights ago,it reminds me of the saying "if you can't be with the one you love,love the one you are with".
It seems to me ,looking in the past is not going to change the fact that he has to keep pushing the rock.He has come to terms with his fate and has accepted it.
 
Occlith said:
Sisyphus became a lithophiliac. :lol:
Click to expand...

He had no choice.:whistling:


Seriously though,I found it as a good read,he can't change his punishment which is for all eternity,so he accepts it.

"In the last chapter, Camus outlines the legend of Sisyphus who defied the gods and put Death in chains so that no human needed to die. When Death was eventually liberated and it came time for Sisyphus himself to die, he concocted a deceit which let him escape from the underworld. Finally captured, the gods decided on his punishment: for all eternity, he would have to push a rock up a mountain; on the top, the rock rolls down again and Sisyphus has to start over. Camus sees Sisyphus as the absurd hero who lives life to the fullest, hates death and is condemned to a meaningless task."

"Camus is interested in Sisyphus' thoughts when marching down the mountain, to start anew. This is the truly tragic moment, when the hero becomes conscious of his wretched condition. He does not have hope, but "[t]here is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn." Acknowledging the truth will conquer it; Sisyphus, just like the absurd man, keeps pushing. Camus claims that when Sisyphus acknowledges the futility of his task and the certainty of his fate, he is freed to realize the absurdity of his situation and to reach a state of contented acceptance. With a nod to the similarly cursed Greek hero Oedipus, Camus concludes that "all is well," indeed, that "One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

Rocks need some loving too Occlith.:lol:


KivanAtaris said:
For Reference the Essay is listed here (I can't post the link so copy these together, or google it):

http://dbanach.com/sisyphus.htm

I'm trying to gain some clarity on Camus' thought on why Sisyhpus is happy. I understand he has been given meaning and a journey by having his thing (rock) and his purpose (roll it up the mountain) -which he relates to the modern laborer, but does Sisyphus not yearn for leisure or love? Does he not care about his muscles in constant ache or his skin in constant sweat? Has he entirely lost hope of getting out of his situation? I'm wondering if his full acceptance of his fate drives his happiness.

Thanks, just trying to work through this one. I'm sure there's an answer I'm missing.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think there is so much more to this than muscle pain.I think it has more to do with the meaning or meaningless of life,and how each person precieves it.Sysyphus defied the Gods by putting Death in chains,[I"]he concocted a deceit which let him escape from the underworld"[/I] which I am percieving as,he is happy rolling the rock than being dead.
 
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