42
1942
1942 · Albert Camus · France/Algeria
The Stranger
NovelExistentialPhilosophical Landmark Postwar & Cold War
An emotionally detached man commits a murder seemingly without motive, then faces trial and execution. Camus explores the absurdity of existence and society's demand for rational explanation of inexplicable acts.
Literary Significance
The Stranger is the quintessential existentialist novel, exploring alienation, meaninglessness, and the absurd with unflinching clarity. Camus's protagonist remains one of literature's most enigmatic figures.
Historical Context
Written during WWII in occupied France, The Stranger responds to the breakdown of social order and the absurdity of violence through existential philosophy.