Abstract
The death of god, which refers to the absence of god's value, weight, significance, and role from people's life experience, is among the most dominant themes of existential literature, especially that of Sartre. It is heavily investigated in his theoretical as well as creative works, such as Being and Nothingness (1969) and The Flies (1989) as it constitutes the cornerstone of his philosophical views of Existentialism, nihilism, freedom, and responsibility. It is hard to understand Sartre's The Flies (1989) and its philosophical background as well as theme(s) without considering the concept of the death of god and its involvement in the development of actions. Accordingly, this paper reads The Flies (1989) investigating Sartre's techniques of introducing and contending that god is dead and has nothing to do with people's life or prosperity. Considering the related literature and the different perspectives of Nietzsche and Hegel regarding Existentialism, the paper deciphers certain scenes and speeches delivered by several characters, such as Zeus, Orestes, and Electra, and it concludes that Sartre’s The Flies (1989) shows how the belief in the death of god may function as a productive force in humans' life and existence. Thus, the paper may help readers of Sartre better understand the existential mechanism of the death of god and comprehend why Sartre's Existentialism is to be viewed as an optimistic, rather than pessimistic, approach.
Highlights
Existentialism is concerned with the existence of individuals: what they choose, how they act, and what they make of themselves
Sartre's notion of the death of god implies the belief in the non-existence of the role of god rather than the belief in the non-existence of god, the creator
This notion, as displayed in The Flies (1989), suggests that humans are free and that their will and power should not be restricted by any conjectural conceptions
Summary
Existentialism is concerned with the existence of individuals: what they choose, how they act, and what they make of themselves. While some Existentialists do not believe in the existence of a divine being that has created all other beings and that is able to control all creatures, others like Sartre do not completely deny the existence of god as a creator but believe he does not have roles to play in people's lives anymore This implies that the idea of the death of god is associated with the loss of life's meaning considering that life's meanings and values are. Sartre's notion of the absence of god complies with Nietzsche's belief that believing in god's existence prevents people from acting freely, which may lead people to start depending on that higher power to conducting life businesses and responsibilities. This way humans will not feel responsible for what they do or think. The following section scrutinizes Sartre's The Flies (1989) arguing that the playwright expresses his belief in the absence or death of god by introducing him as a simple character playing certain trivial roles or by marginalizing, sometimes ignoring, him completely
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