Summary
Albert Camus's The Plague, first published in 1947, remains a timeless masterpiece of existentialist literature. Set in the Algerian city of Oran, this gripping novel follows a cast of characters as they grapple with a devastating bubonic plague outbreak. Beyond its literal narrative, The Plague has been widely interpreted as an allegory for the French Resistance during World War II. However, its themes of solidarity, resilience, and the human condition in times of crisis have proven universally relevant. This enduring relevance was starkly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the novel experienced a surge in popularity, with readers finding new meaning in Camus's prescient work.
Plot
Set in the Algerian city of Oran, The Plague chronicles the outbreak and spread of bubonic plague. The story begins as rats start dying in droves, soon followed by human fatalities. Recognizing the early signs of an epidemic, Dr. Bernard Rieux urges authorities to take action, but they are slow to respond. As deaths mount, the city is quarantined and cut off from the outside world.
The novel follows several characters as they grapple with the epidemic. Dr. Rieux works tirelessly to treat the sick, while his friend Jean Tarrou organizes volunteer sanitation teams. Journalist Raymond Rambert attempts to escape the city to reunite with his lover but ultimately decides to stay and help. Meanwhile, Father Paneloux delivers fiery sermons attributing the plague to divine punishment.
As the situation worsens, the city descends into a state of fear and isolation. Strict measures are implemented, including mandatory cremation of bodies. The characters confront despair, exile, and the absurdity of their situation. Some, like the petty criminal Cottard, seem to thrive amid the chaos. After several months, Dr. Castel develops a serum, though its effectiveness is limited.
Eventually, the plague begins to recede. The city gates reopen and life slowly returns to normal. However, the epidemic has taken its toll—Tarrou dies after contracting the disease, and Dr. Rieux learns his wife has passed away at a sanatorium. The novel concludes with Dr. Rieux reflecting on what can be learned about human nature in times of crisis.
Themes
Disease and devastation
Isolation and separation
Suffering and resilience
The fragility of life
Duty and responsibility
Absurdism and meaninglessness
Solidarity and collective struggle
Faith and skepticism
Heroism in the face of hopelessness
Setting
The Plague takes place in the coastal city of Oran, located in French Algeria, in the 1940s. This North African setting provides a backdrop of sun-baked streets and Mediterranean shorelines, contrasting sharply with the grim reality of the unfolding epidemic.
Oran itself becomes a character in the novel, with its closed gates and quarantined population creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. The city's architecture, from crowded apartment buildings to makeshift hospitals, plays a crucial role in shaping the characters' experiences as they navigate the crisis.
While the story is confined to Oran, the wider world looms large in the characters' minds. Cut off from the outside, they long for loved ones in places like Paris, highlighting themes of isolation and separation. The novel's setting serves as a microcosm for broader human struggles, transcending its specific time and place to speak to universal experiences of suffering and resilience.
Characters
Dr. Bernard Rieux: The protagonist and narrator. A medical doctor in his 30s who works tirelessly to combat the plague in Oran. Dr. Rieux is a committed humanist who believes in serving others and alleviating suffering, despite the seeming futility of existence. He approaches his work pragmatically and perseveres in fighting the plague even when it seems hopeless. Though an atheist, he embodies many heroic and saintly qualities in his selfless dedication to helping others.
Jean Tarrou: A vacationer who becomes Rieux's close friend and ally in fighting the plague. Tarrou organizes volunteer sanitation squads to help combat the disease. He keeps detailed journals of the plague's effects on the town, which the narrator uses as a source. Tarrou is deeply affected by his experiences with injustice and seeks to live a life of secular sainthood free from harming others.
Joseph Grand: A municipal clerk in his 50s who joins the anti-plague efforts. He embodies the quiet heroism of ordinary people who persevere in difficult times. Grand contracts the plague but recovers, symbolizing hope and resilience.
Raymond Rambert: A journalist trapped in Oran when the city is quarantined. He initially tries to escape to rejoin his wife in Paris, but ultimately decides to stay and help fight the plague. Rambert's journey represents the struggle between individual desires and collective responsibility.
Father Paneloux: A Jesuit priest who delivers passionate sermons interpreting the plague as divine punishment. He later joins the volunteer squads and struggles with his faith after witnessing a child's suffering. Paneloux dies with ambiguous symptoms, leaving it unclear if he succumbed to the plague or a crisis of faith.
Cottard: A criminal who attempts suicide before the plague and then prospers through smuggling during the epidemic. He fears the return to normal after the plague ends. Cottard represents those who exploit crisis situations for personal gain.
M. Othon: A magistrate whose young son dies from the plague. This tragedy softens Othon's previously stern demeanor. He volunteers to remain in quarantine even after his mandatory period ends.
Dr. Castel: An older doctor who first proposes that the disease is bubonic plague. He works on developing a serum to combat the plague.
Mme. Rieux: Dr. Rieux's elderly mother, who comes to stay with him during the plague. She embodies quiet strength and acceptance in the face of the epidemic.
M. Michel: The concierge of Dr. Rieux's building who becomes one of the plague's first victims.
Quick facts
Albert Camus’s inspiration for The Plague was the 1849 cholera epidemic in Oran, Algeria.
Based on his diary entries, Camus began working on ideas for the novel as early as 1941, six years before its publication.
The narrator's identity is kept secret until the final chapter of the book.
The character of Dr. Rieux was reportedly based on Camus's own experiences battling tuberculosis.
Many interpret the plague as an allegory for the Nazi occupation of France during World War II.
Camus objected to the novel being labeled as “existentialist,” despite it often being considered an existentialist classic.
In addition to screen and stage adaptations, The Plague inspired a cantata composed by Roberto Gerhard in 1965.
The most notable film adaptation is Luis Puenzo's 1992 film of the same name, starring William Hurt and Sandrine Bonnaire.
The Plague found new relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a bestseller in 2020.
Laura Marris’s English translation of The Plague in 2021 marked the first new translation of Camus’s classic in more than 70 years.
About the Author
Albert Camus (1913-1960) was an influential French philosopher, author, and journalist. Born in French Algeria, Camus rose from a humble background to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957. He is best known for his novels The Stranger and The Plague, as well as his philosophical essay on absurdism, “The Myth of Sisyphus.”
As a writer, Camus grappled with weighty issues such as the meaning of existence. Though often labeled an existentialist, Camus rejected this categorization, developing his own distinct philosophical views. He was also a committed anti-totalitarian who spoke out against both fascism and Stalinism. Deeply engaged in the political issues of his time, Camus was active in the French Resistance during World War II and later became an outspoken critic of the Algerian War. His stance on Algeria, calling for a multicultural, pluralistic society, put him at odds with many of his contemporaries. Camus maintained a lifelong opposition to the death penalty and advocated for human rights causes.
Though his life was cut tragically short due to a fatal car accident at the age of 46, Camus’s philosophical and literary legacy has endured. His exploration of the human condition in an indifferent universe continues to resonate with readers around the world.
