Existentialism is a philosophy focused on the search for meaning in life. It grew after WWII and has been studied by philosophers such as Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. It has also been integrated into other theories, such as feminism and Christian theology. Existentialism has been explored in literature and cinema, including works by Dostoyevsky, Hesse, Kafka, and modern films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and A Clockwork Orange.
Existentialism is the philosophy of human existence as it relates to the search for meaning in life. The term was originally coined by the French philosopher and playwright, Gabriel Marcel, in 1943. Jean-Paul Sartre, a leader in 20th-century French philosophy, later popularized the term in his book L’existentialisme est un humanisme. Philosophers such as Marcel and Sartre, who focused on human existence, are referred to as existentialists. This particular philosophical movement really grew after WWII.
Many of the issues inherent in existentialism, such as the meaning of life and the subjectivity of one’s experience, have been studied long before a term was first defined. Popular philosophers associated with the movement, Friedrich Nietzsche and Søren Kierkegaard, were interested in the apparent meaninglessness of human existence and in an individual’s freedom and responsibility to define their own values.
The study of existentialism has also been integrated into other theories, such as feminism. The French author and philosopher, Simone de Beauvoir, has been considered the first philosopher to seriously consider gender and ethics alongside existentialism, as in her work, The Second Sex and The Ethics of Ambiguity. Existentialist theologian, Paul Tillich has applied existentialism to Christian theology in his writings, including The Courage to Be, which theorizes that man needs God to alleviate his crisis of identity and purpose in a seemingly random world.
In addition to philosophical works, existentialism has been brought up in literary works such as Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment, in which the main character goes through an existential crisis. In Hermann Hesse’s novel Steppenwolf, the main character faces the dilemma of the struggle between his animal instincts and his superior spirit. One of the leading fiction writers of the 20th century, Frank Kafka is another author addressing existentialism through literature. In his novella The Metamorphosis, the characters are confronted with a grim sense of hopelessness and absurdity in the seeming meaninglessness of human existence.
In the late 20th century, existentialism became a popular theme in cinema. Modern films like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Clockwork Orange, Apocalypse Now, and I Heart Huckabees all deal with finding meaning behind one’s existence. On television, shows like Monty Python have also incorporated existentialism into their themes by parodying the absurd and seemingly random nature of human experience.
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