415994

Navigating the Absurd in Paulo Coelho’s The Zahir (2005) Through Albert Camus’s “The Myth of Sisyphus” (1942)

Article

Last updated: 29 Mar 2025

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Tags

اللغة الانجليزية

Abstract

     This paper explores the application of Albert Camus's philosophy of the absurd, as articulated in “The Myth of Sisyphus" (1942), to Paulo Coelho's novel The Zahir (2005). It investigates how Camus's existential concepts of absurdity, revolt, freedom, and passion resonate within Coelho's narrative of personal obsession and spiritual awakening. The analysis highlights thematic parallels between Sisyphus's eternal struggle and Coelho's protagonist's quest for meaning amidst an indifferent universe, framing The Zahir as a modern literary embodiment of absurdist philosophy. It demonstrates how the protagonist's journey mirrors the Sisyphean struggle against the absurd, reflecting human resilience and the quest for authenticity. By juxtaposing the existential dilemmas faced by Camus's Sisyphus and Coelho's narrator, this paper underscores their shared resistance to despair and acceptance of life's inherent contradictions. The study further reveals The Zahir as a transformative lens through which to reinterpret Camusian themes, bridging Mid-20th-century existentialism with contemporary explorations of love, freedom, and self-discovery. This synthesis affirms the enduring relevance of absurdist philosophy in understanding human experience across time and culture.  The paper contains two main parts: the first part throws the light on Camus's absurd as presented in “The Myth of Sisyphus".  The second part is an analysis of Coelho's The Zahir through the lens of Camus's philosophy, looking for instances where Coelho's characters or narrative elements align with or diverge from Camus's concepts.

DOI

10.21608/artdau.2025.341814.1324

Keywords

Sisyphus, Camus, The absurd condition, Coelho, The Zahir

Authors

First Name

مني

Last Name

جادسيد جاد علي

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

مدرس الأدب الإنجليزي- قسم اللغة الإنجليزية - كلية الآداب- جامعة الدلتا للعلوم والتكنولوجيا.

Email

mona.gad@deltauniv.edu.eg

City

جمصه

Orcid

-

Volume

12

Article Issue

6

Related Issue

41358

Issue Date

2023-11-01

Receive Date

2023-12-04

Publish Date

2023-11-01

Page Start

285

Page End

309

Print ISSN

2314-8519

Online ISSN

2735-4881

Link

https://artdau.journals.ekb.eg/article_415994.html

Detail API

http://journals.ekb.eg?_action=service&article_code=415994

Order

415,994

Type

المقالات البحثية

Type Code

1,643

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

المجلة العلمیة لکلیة الآداب-جامعة دمياط

Publication Link

https://artdau.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Navigating the Absurd in Paulo Coelho’s The Zahir (2005) Through Albert Camus’s “The Myth of Sisyphus” (1942)

Details

Type

Article

Created At

09 Mar 2025