Existentialism :: essays research papers

existentialismExistentialism is a concept that became popular during the second World War inFrance, and just after it. French playrights have often used the arrange toexpress their views, and these views came to surface even during a Nazioccupation. Bernard Shaw got his play " shrine Joan" past the Ger mankind censorsbecause it appeared to be very Anti-British. French audiences however instanter understood the real meaning of the play, and replaced the Britishwith the Germans. Those sorts of "hidden meanings" were common throughout theperiod so that plays would be able to pass censorship.Existentialism proposes that man is full of anxiety and despare with no meaningin his life, just manifestly existing, until he made decisive choice about his ownfuture. That is the track to achieve dignity as a human organism. Existentialistsfelt that adopting a social or political cause was ace way of bounteous purpose toa life. Sartre is well known for the " planetary hous e engage" or Theatre commited,which is supposedly commited to social and/or political action.On of the major(ip) playwrights during this period was Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre hadbeen imprisoned in Germany in 1940 but managed to escape, and become one of theleaders of the Existential movement. Other popular playwrights were Albert Camus,and Jean Anouilh. Just kindred Anouilh, Camus accidentally became the spokesman forthe French Underground when he wrote his famous essay, "Le Mythe de Sisyphe" or"The Myth of Sisyphus". Sisyphus was the man condemned by the gods to roll arock to the aggrandisement of a mountain, only to have it roll back down again. For Camus,this connect heavily to everyday life, and he saw Sisyphus an "absurd" hero,with a senseless existance. Camus felt that it was necessary to wonder what themeaning of life was, and that the human being longed for some sense of clarityin the world, since "if the world were clear, art would non exi st". "The Myth ofSisyphus" became a prototype for existentialism in the sign, and finallyThe Theatre of the Absurd.Right after the Second World War, Paris became the theatre capital of the west,and popularized a new form of surrealistic theatre called "Theatre of theAbsurd". Many historians contribute the sudden popularity of absurdism in Franceto the gruesome revelations of gasconade chambers and war atrocities coming out ofGermany after the war. The main topic of The Theatre of the Absurd was to pointout mans helplessness and pointless existance in a world without purpose. AsRichard Coe described it "It is the freedom of the slave to kotow east along the