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Prometheus and Camus’ Ethics of Rebellion
AI Shi-wei, TIAN Cun-tong
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DOI:10.17265/2159-5836/2022.11.003
College of Chinese Language and Literature, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Camus named the different stages of his writing after characters from Greek mythology. The first stage is the “absurd” cycle represented by the myth of Sisyphus. The second stage, the cycle of “rebellion”, is represented by the myth of Prometheus, and the myth of Nemesis represents the unfinished third stage, known as the cycle of “moderation.” Prometheus is a crucial mythological figure and an ideal figure of rebellion as outlined in the second cycle of Camus’ work. Prometheus; under Camus’ pen, contained an ethical truth, which he carried to the end of his life. The author used a negative way to define the extension of the image of Prometheus, not only to resist negatively in the face of nihilism but also to reflect his self-contradiction from the mainstream discourse as an intellectual engaged in public discussion. He was determined to disassociate himself from the “progressive” address of the French left-wing intellectuals and speak his truth, though his point of view was not very popular then. Through portraying Prometheus, Camus attempted to dismantle the underlying basis and logic of nihilism by taking the other as the starting point and “moderation” and “tension” as the methods. At the same time, he tried to build a stable way to end the violence that was generally legitimized and establish a solid and absolute ethical value that created a relationship of solidarity among human beings.
Camus, Prometheus, ethics of rebellion
Journal of Literature and Art Studies, November 2022, Vol. 12, No. 11, 1104-1113
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