Literary Criticism: Existentialism

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Literary Criticism Existentialism

• Essay and presentation by
• Ámbar A. Betancourt González

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In general terms (facts and background
information)

• Became popular after WWII
• Proposes that man is full of anxiety and despair
  with no meaning in his life, just simply existing
  
• Because of Existentialism we have the Theatre of
  the Absurd

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Key Terms

• Absurd - a term used to describe existence--a
  world without inherent meaning or truth.
• Authenticity - to make choices based on an
  individual code of ethics (commitment) rather
  than because of societal pressures. A choice made
  just because "it's what people do" would be
  considered inauthentic.
• "Leap of faith" - although Kierkegaard
  acknowledged that religion was inherently
  unknowable and filled with risks, faith required
  an act of commitment (the "leap of faith") the
  commitment to Christianity would also lessen the
  despair of an absurd world.

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Forefathers of existentialism
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What is it?

• Existence as a problem.
• A philosophy.
• A way of life.

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Questions

• Death
• Existence
• God

• Value
• Interpersonal relationships
• Self-reflection

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Focus

• The individual

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Beliefs

• Life is very difficult
• Life has no objective
• Life has no universally known value
• Existentialism is an act not a word.

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In conclusion
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Thank you and Remember

• The Rumanian apple guns of the night.
• (Get it? I end this with absurdism! JA!)