Summary
The Unbearable Lightness of Being, published in 1984, is a philosophical novel by Czech author Milan Kundera. Set against the backdrop of the 1968 Prague Spring, this masterpiece explores the concepts of eternal recurrence, and the lightness and heaviness of life itself through the lives of its main characters. The book quickly gained international acclaim for its profound reflections on love, politics, and the human condition.
Kundera's novel weaves together the stories of two couples—Tomáš and Tereza, and Sabina and Franz—as they navigate their relationships and the complexities of life under Communist rule. While the book delves into weighty themes, it does so with a remarkable lightness of touch, blending humor, irony, and poignant observations on the nature of existence.
In 1988, The Unbearable Lightness of Being was adapted into a critically acclaimed film directed by Philip Kaufman, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, and Lena Olin. Kundera distanced himself from the adaptation, stating that it had little to do with the spirit of his novel. This experience led the author to refuse any further adaptations of his work, preserving the literary integrity of his masterpiece.
Plot
Set against the backdrop of the 1968 Prague Spring, The Unbearable Lightness of Being follows the lives of two couples navigating love, politics, and personal freedom. The story centers on Tomáš, a successful surgeon and unrepentant womanizer, who finds himself torn between his love for his wife Tereza and his numerous affairs.
Tereza, a young waitress turned photographer, struggles with her husband's infidelities and her own insecurities. Meanwhile, Sabina, Tomáš's mistress and an artist, embodies the concept of “lightness” as she moves through life unencumbered by deep attachments. Franz, a Swiss professor besotted with Sabina, rounds out the quartet as he grapples with his ideals and the realities of love.
As Soviet tanks roll into Prague, the characters' lives are upended. Tomáš and Tereza flee to Switzerland, where their relationship is further tested. Sabina continues her journey of personal freedom, while Franz becomes increasingly involved in political activism. The novel explores how each character responds to the weight of their choices and the historical events unfolding around them.
Eventually, Tomáš and Tereza return to a changed Czechoslovakia, where they face the consequences of Tomáš's past actions and political stance. The couple ultimately retreats to the countryside, seeking a simpler life away from the complexities of their former existence. Throughout the narrative, Kundera weaves in the story of Karenin, Tomáš and Tereza's loyal dog, whose life and death serve as a poignant counterpoint to the human drama.
Themes
Lightness versus heaviness in life choices
Love and relationships in times of political upheaval
Individual freedom versus societal constraints
The nature of existence and human mortality
The conflict between body and soul
The power of memory and personal history
The search for meaning in a chaotic world
Setting
Set primarily in Prague during the late 1960s and early 1970s, The Unbearable Lightness of Being unfolds against the backdrop of the Prague Spring and its aftermath. This tumultuous period in Czechoslovak history saw a brief liberalization of communist rule, followed by the invasion of Warsaw Pact troops in August 1968. Kundera vividly captures the atmosphere of political upheaval and its impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.
The novel's geographical scope extends beyond Prague, with significant portions taking place in Switzerland. Following the Soviet invasion, the protagonists Tomáš and Tereza briefly relocate to Zürich, offering a stark contrast between life in occupied Czechoslovakia and the relative freedom of Western Europe. This juxtaposition highlights the cultural and political divide that characterized Cold War Europe.
As the story progresses, the setting shifts to the Czech countryside, where Tomáš and Tereza eventually settle. This rural backdrop provides a quieter, more introspective environment for the characters to grapple with their personal philosophies and relationships. Throughout these changes in location, Kundera weaves in references to other parts of the world, including Cambodia and the United States, broadening the novel's perspective on global political movements and their consequences.
Characters
Tomáš: A Czech surgeon and womanizer who struggles to balance his love for his wife Tereza with his philandering ways. He views sex and love as separate entities, believing he can have casual affairs while still loving Tereza. Tomáš faces political persecution for his writings and eventually abandons his medical career to live a simple life in the countryside with Tereza. His journey represents the conflict between lightness and weight in relationships and life choices.
Tereza: Tomáš's young wife who struggles with insecurity and jealousy due to his infidelities. A former waitress turned photographer, she engages in dangerous photojournalism during the Soviet occupation of Prague. Tereza grapples with her view of the body as shameful and her fear of being just another body to Tomáš. She finds solace in her relationship with their dog Karenin and ultimately chooses a quiet life with Tomáš in the countryside.
Sabina: Tomáš's mistress and a talented artist who embodies the concept of lightness. She rejects all forms of kitsch and commitment, finding joy in betrayal and nonconformity. Sabina's character explores the themes of freedom, artistic expression, and the rejection of ideological constraints.
Franz: A Swiss professor who becomes Sabina's lover, mistakenly viewing her as a romantic Czech dissident. An idealist and dreamer, Franz seeks meaning through political activism and intellectual pursuits. His life revolves around books and academia until he joins a protest march in Thailand, where he meets a tragic end.
Karenin: Tomáš and Tereza's female dog, named after a male character from Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. Karenin serves as a symbol of unconditional love and loyalty, bringing Tomáš and Tereza closer together, especially in her final days as she battles cancer.
Šimon: Tomáš's estranged son from a previous marriage. He plays a minor role in the novel but represents Tomáš's past and the complexities of family relationships.
Quick facts
The novel was originally written in Czech in 1982 but not published until 1984, first in a French translation.
The English translation was published before the original Czech version.
Kundera himself did not approve the publication of the Czech version in the Czech Republic until 2006, 17 years after the fall of communism.
The title is a reference to Nietzsche's concept of eternal recurrence.
The character Karenin, despite being a female dog, is named after the male character Alexei Karenin from Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.
Kundera strongly disliked the 1988 film adaptation, stating it had little to do with his novel's spirit or characters.
The novel explores the Prague Spring of 1968 and its aftermath through the lives of four main characters.
The phrase “unbearable lightness of being” is similar to “strange lightness of being” used in Constance Garnett's translation of Tolstoy's War and Peace.
About the Author
Milan Kundera was a renowned Czech-born novelist who lived from 1929 to 2023. Born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, Kundera initially studied music before turning to literature and film. He joined the Communist Party as a young man but was later expelled twice, experiences that influenced his writing. Kundera's early works were written in Czech, but after emigrating to France in 1975, he began writing in French.
Kundera is best known for his novels exploring philosophical themes. His most famous work is The Unbearable Lightness of Being, published in 1984. Other notable novels include Life is Elsewhere, The Joke, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, and Immortality. Kundera's writing style often incorporated essay-like digressions on art, music, and philosophy alongside the narrative.
Though his early works contained political commentary, Kundera insisted he was not a political writer. He focused instead on broader philosophical questions about human existence, memory, and identity. Kundera was private about his personal life and rarely gave interviews. He became a French citizen in 1981 and considered himself a French writer, though he maintained connections to his Czech homeland.
Kundera received numerous literary honors over his career, including the Jerusalem Prize and the Czech State Literature Prize. His works have been translated into over 40 languages. In his later years, Kundera faced controversy over allegations he had informed on a Western spy in 1950, though he strongly denied the claims. He died in Paris in July 2023 at the age of 94, leaving behind an influential literary legacy.
