Summary
Nausea is a novel by philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, published in 1938. Set in the fictional French town of Bouville, the story unfolds through the diary entries of Antoine Roquentin, a reclusive intellectual who is working on a biography of an 18th-century political figure, the Marquis de Rollebon. Roquentin finds his daily existence increasingly unbearable as he becomes acutely aware of the absurdity and contingency of reality.
The novel illustrates the debilitating and pervasive sense of nausea that Roquentin experiences, which symbolizes his deep existential crisis. His encounters with other characters, including Anny, his former lover, and the Autodidact or Self-Taught Man, a passionate socialist, further complicate his struggle to find meaning and authenticity in a seemingly indifferent universe. Sartre uses Roquentin's internal turmoil and reflections to explore themes central to existential thought, such as alienation, freedom, and the search for significance amidst the inherent meaninglessness of existence.
Nausea is recognized as a key text in existential literature and philosophy, reflecting Sartre's belief in the fundamental contingency of existence and the necessity of personal freedom and responsibility. Through its innovative narrative style and exploration of profound philosophical ideas, the novel challenges readers to confront the absurdity of life and the possibility of finding personal meaning through authentic engagement with the world.
Themes
Existentialism and the search for meaning
Alienation and isolation
The absurdity of existence
Freedom and responsibility
Subjectivity and the nature of perception
Contingency and the randomness of the world
Personal commitment and authenticity
The critique of humanism
Philosophical introspection and existential crisis
Psychological exploration of depression and anxiety
Setting
Nausea, a seminal work by Jean-Paul Sartre, unfolds within the fictional French town of Bouville, a stand-in for the real-life port city of Le Havre, during the winter of 1932. The setting not only provides the backdrop but also significantly contributes to the thematic depth and existential tenor of the narrative. This period, lodged firmly in the interwar years, reflects a time of social, political, and intellectual ferment in Europe, which deeply influences the novel's existential themes.
Sartre depicts Bouville in a way that emphasizes the existential exploration central to the novel. The town, with its various locales—including the local library where Roquentin frequently encounters the self-taught man and the park where he has his epiphanic experience with the root of a chestnut tree—serves as not only a physical location but also a landscape of existential inquiry.
Characters
Antoine Roquentin: The protagonist, a historian who becomes deeply distressed by the existence of himself and the objects around him.
Anny: An English woman and Antoine's former lover, who no longer shares Antoine's existential outlook.
Ogier P. (The Self-Taught Man): A bailiff's clerk and acquaintance of Antoine's, who devotes himself to the pursuit of knowledge and humanity.
FAQs
What is the main theme of Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre?
The main theme of Nausea is existentialism, focusing on the individual's realization of the absurdity of existence and the contingent nature of reality. It examines how life can seem meaningless unless a person creates their own meaning through personal commitment and actions.
Who is the protagonist of Nausea?
The protagonist of Nausea is Antoine Roquentin, a melancholic and socially isolated intellectual who is horrified at his own existence and the meaningless of the world around him. Through his diary, he explores his philosophical and psychological struggles, leading to his experience of the titular nausea.
Why did Jean-Paul Sartre decline the Nobel Prize in Literature?
Jean-Paul Sartre declined the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964 because he had consistently declined all official honors. Sartre believed that a writer should not allow himself to be transformed into an institution, even if it happened under the most honorable circumstances, as he stated in his refusal.
What is the significance of the chestnut tree in the novel?
The chestnut tree scene is significant in Nausea because it is where Roquentin has a profound, disturbing realization about existence. This moment symbolizes his acute experience of existential revulsion, or "nausea," upon recognizing the contingent, arbitrary nature of objects and existence itself.
How does Nausea explore existentialism?
Nausea explores existentialism by dramatizing the protagonist's encounter with the absurdity of existence and his realization that life has no inherent meaning outside of what individuals ascribe to it. The novel delves into themes of freedom, alienation, and the search for authenticity, reflecting Sartre's philosophical views.
What literary techniques does Sartre use in the novel?
Sartre employs a range of literary techniques in Nausea, including the use of diary format for a deeply personal, introspective narrative, stream of consciousness to depict Roquentin's thought processes, and vivid, detailed descriptions to evoke the protagonist's existential crisis and the texture of his experience of "nausea."
What impact did Nausea have on modern literature and philosophy?
Nausea had a profound impact on both modern literature and philosophy, cementing Sartre's position as a leading figure in existential thought and influencing a vast array of writers and thinkers. The novel's exploration of existential themes and its innovative style contributed to the development of existentialist literature and the broader understanding of existential philosophy.
Quotes
“It's quite an undertaking to start loving somebody. You have to have energy, generosity, and blindness. There is even a moment right at the start where you have to jump across an abyss: if you think about it you don't do it.”
“I am alone in the midst of these happy, reasonable voices. All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other. In Heaven's name, why is it so important to think the same things all together.”
“Three o'clock is always too late or too early for anything you want to do.”
“I want to leave, to go somewhere where I should be really in my place, where I would fit in . . . but my place is nowhere; I am unwanted.”
“I am going to outlive myself. Eat, sleep, sleep, eat. Exist slowly, softly, like these trees, like a puddle of water, like the red bench in the streetcar.”
“You must be like me; you must suffer in rhythm.”
“Little flashes of sun on the surface of a cold, dark sea.”
“I think that is the big danger in keeping a diary: you exaggerate everything.”
“I do not think, therefore I am a mustache.”
Quick facts
Nausea was Jean-Paul Sartre's first novel and a pivotal work in existential literature, published in 1938.
Sartre originally titled the novel Melancholia, inspired by Albrecht Dürer's engraving Melencolia I, but it was renamed La Nausée before publication.
The town of Bouville, in which Nausea is set, is a fictional representation of Le Havre, where Sartre was living and teaching as he wrote the novel.
Sartre received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964, which he famously declined to accept.
The novel has undergone several English translations, initially by Lloyd Alexander as The Diary of Antoine Roquentin and later by Robert Baldick simply as Nausea.
The protagonist, Antoine Roquentin, is influenced by the philosophical works of Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger, particularly in terms of existentialism and phenomenology, which Sartre studied in Berlin in 1932.
Nausea is notable for its stream of consciousness technique, aiming to depict existential angst and the absurdity of life through Roquentin's experiences.
Despite its philosophical depth, Nausea was initially intended to be more than just a philosophical treatise; Sartre wanted it recognized as a work of art that synthesized his philosophical views.
The character of the Self-Taught Man (l'Autodidacte) discusses humanism and reflects Sartre's own criticism of certain humanist ideals, indicating Sartre's intricate engagement with political and social ideologies within the novel.
The novel emphasizes the theme of "existence precedes essence," a cornerstone of Sartre's existentialist philosophy, personified through Roquentin's confrontation with his own existence and the realization of life's inherent lack of inherent meaning without personal commitment.
About the author
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) was a towering figure in 20th-century French philosophy, regarded as one of the leading existentialist thinkers. Sartre was also a prolific writer, contributing significantly to literature as a novelist, playwright, biographer, and critic. His influence extends beyond philosophy into fields such as sociology, critical theory, and post-colonial studies, with his theories on freedom, existence, and consciousness continuing to resonate in modern debates.
Sartre's early life was marked by tragedy and scholarly excellence. Born in Paris, he was raised by his maternal grandparents after his father's early death. He exhibited an early interest in philosophy, sparked by reading Henri Bergson's essay on time and free will. Sartre pursued his studies at the prestigious École Normale Supérieure, where he developed relationships with future luminaries such as Simone de Beauvoir, with whom he would maintain a lifelong, albeit unconventional, partnership. His academic pursuits led him to study phenomenology in Berlin, significantly shaping his philosophical viewpoints.
Throughout his career, Sartre delved into existentialism, a movement that emphasizes individual freedom and choice, positing that humans are "condemned to be free." His commitment to these ideas is evident in his refusal of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature, citing his aversion to becoming an institutionalized figure. Sartre's refusal underscored his beliefs in the autonomy of the individual and the responsibility that comes with freedom.
Sartre's later years were not without controversy, particularly regarding his political stances and personal relationships. However, his legacy as a philosopher who vigorously advocated for freedom, challenged societal norms, and influenced myriad intellectual disciplines is undeniable. Jean-Paul Sartre remains a pivotal figure in understanding the complexities of human existence and the relentless pursuit of authenticity in an often inauthentic world.
