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/lit/ - Literature

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1246663 No.1246663 [Reply] [Original]

What does Lit think about Albert Camus? I've read the Fall and The Stranger (It's a much better read in French than in English).
I really enjoyed the exaggeration of existentialism in the Stranger and the observations of the narrator in The Fall. I've tried to read the myth of Sisyphus and The Fastidious Assassin but it is extremely dry and to be honest, I don't really understand it. Has anyone read any of these books and care to shed some light on them?

>> No.1246673

The Myth of Sisyphus is his best work imho.

Taking a cautionary tale of eternal torment and turning it into a testament to freedom was inspiring.

>> No.1246696

Secondlanguagefrenchfag here.

Have you read both the translation and original? I always try to read French works in french, but for some reason have had trouble finding any Camus in french (I'm a usedbookstore dweller though).

Is it really that much better to require reading it?

And as for his philosophical works, The Rebel is the most interesting of them, in my opinion.

>> No.1246700
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1246700

Grotesque (After the Gramme) or The Unutterable.

>> No.1246703

>>1246696
The Stranger in french is much better. I find the english translations don't quite grasp how cold Meursault's words are. Like the first line of L'Etranger "Aujourd'hui, maman est morte. Ou peut-erte hier, je ne sais pas." The english version has more feeling that this.

>> No.1246708

>>1246703
I'll do my best to find it then. Thanks

>> No.1246913

best camus work is the stranger...loved the short summary of the 2 ladys killing their son/husband...didn´t like the play much though.
who is smarter, satre or camus?

>> No.1246932

I've only read The Plague, am I missing out?

>> No.1246963

>>1246932
Yes. Read The Stranger, The Fall, and A Happy Death (I don't know why so many people ignore that last one).

>> No.1247270

I hold The Fall over The Stranger.

>> No.1247293

Ok, here is my qualm with the idea 'the original french is better than english' belief.
I am a native english speaker, but learned french in high school/college. When I read 'The Stranger' in french, I would still translate it into english in my head. Isn't that the same as reading it in english?
The translation in my head is almost exactly the same way I would read it if I picked up a copy of the english version.

>> No.1247304

>>1247293
Then you learned French the wrong way. The right way would be that you understand the language while it's still French. That's how people understand the poetry of the writings.