Simulacra and the Collapse of Truth in Camus' The Misunderstanding: A Study through Baudrillard's Lens
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17605/cajssh.v6i1.1162Keywords:
Hyperreality, Perception, Reality, SimulacraAbstract
This article seeks to study the complex association between simulacra and the collapse of truth in Albert Camus' play The Misunderstanding, in light of the theoretical paradigm of Jean Baudrillard. By inspecting the themes of perception, reality, and identity in the text, the present study discusses how the characters’ conversations are inundated in misunderstanding and illusion, resulting in disastrous consequences. Baudrillard's concept of simulacra, where symbols and imageries displace real experiences, delivers a standpoint through which to identify the intermission between the characters' outlooks and the central truths of their life. The research also asserts that Camus' representation of existential despair and the quest for purpose is in harmony with Baudrillard's claim that the present society is more and more characterized by a disinterest in reality, where signs and symbols regulate our understanding. Through a systematic inspection of significant scenes and character associations, this article reveals how the characters' incapacity to comprehend the authenticity of their relations finally results in a sense of distancing and misfortune.
References
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