Judges In The Plays Of Albert Camus

Abstract

DURING THE LAST DECADE, appreciation of Albert Camus has grown not only because of his skill as a literary artist but also because of his insight as an examiner of our times. Much has been written about the political and ethical content of Camus' novels and essays, but while his plays have been examined for such well-known philosophical concepts as "the Absurd" and "Revolt," little attention has been paid to their social commentary. Camus was intensely concerned with the administration of justice and the legal systems in society. For example, his hatred of capital punishment is emphasized in La Peste, Reflexions sur la Peine Cap itale, Le Myth de Sisyphe, CEtranger, La Chute, and some of his shorter essays. But evidence of his interest in law and justice also abounds in his plays. Consequently, judges receive much attention, and it is with these I shall concern myself. Though not all of those I shall mention are judges in the legal meaning of the word, most of them are in the sense that human lives depend upon their judgments.