One of the most significant figures of the 20th century is Albert Camus, a famous French philosopher, author, and journalist. Throughout the world, his works have appealed to readers, due to his exploration of existential themes, and social injustice among other subject matter.
Birth and Early Life
Camus was born in Mondovi, Algeria’s French colony on November 7, 1913. His mother did housework for a living, while his father was a farmhand at that time called Lucien Camus. Therefore, Camus led an impoverished life starting from early childhood days up to adulthood with his mother only taking care of them after their dad died during World War I when he was only eleven years old along with an infant brother.
Despite all odds though, still managed to do well in school and even became a great sportsman due to his soccer prowess plus he also fell in love with literature. His childhood experiences profoundly influenced his subsequent philosophical and fictional works which revolved around matters such as life, death, and human nature.
Education and Early Career
It was in 1932 that he won a scholarship to the University of Algiers. This made him an active member of political movements like the Communist Party during this period but later on left it after realizing that they were too dogmatic in their way of thinking as well as acting.
While there, Camus discovered his writing talent. He penned plays, essays, and short stories that touched on issues such as alienation, social injustice, and the absurdity of life itself. His work “The Myth of Sisyphus” won a great literary prize in 1938 and is currently considered an important work in existential literature.
Wartime and Resistance
The outbreak of World War II changed everything in Camus’ life. For instance, after France fell in 1940, he became part of the French Resistance Movement that was formed to counteract Nazism within their country’s borders. He worked as a journalist writing for an underground newspaper called “Combat,” through which he launched fierce attacks against the Nazi occupational authorities as well as the Vichy regime.
His Resistance activities were not without personal risks as he was always under threat of arrest and possible elimination. Nonetheless, he continued with conviction stating that standing up for what he believed was right before anything else became an obligation.
Post-War Years and Literary Success
He stayed on as a journalist or writer following liberation. Eventually, he became a public figure known for his dissident views on various societal and political issues.
In 1947 his most famous novel The Plague was released attaining instant success both artistically and commercially thereby asserting himself among top caliber writers of French literature.
Camus was also among other things a great essayist whose works like The Rebel sustain themselves till this day while Caligula and The Just rose to prominence as brilliant plays during that time. 2 Many of his writings examined the conventions of morality, religion, and society, as well as the intricacies of life without a final sense in which questions of good and evil are answered.
Death and Legacy
Within a month of his 46th birthday, Albert Camus died tragically in a car accident on January 4, 1960. His untimely demise sent shock waves throughout literary communities worldwide and yet people still celebrate what he did.
Camus’ poetries were translated into many different languages thereby influencing a lot of intellectuals in history. Anyone cannot tire of thinking about those questions that bother them. Heightening these could be some characteristics he attributed to himself even if it does not lead to or produce anything fruitful at all.
