Nicholas Dease: Outside Reading Blog 3

Comparison of The Stranger and Bhagavad Gita

After reading the Bhagavad Gita, I noticed a shocking number philosophical similarities between the ancient Hindu poem and Albert Camus's short novel, The Stranger. While these two philosophies are pragmatically similar, there are also a number of significant differences. For the purpose of this outside reading blog, I will explore the connection between the two. First, the major difference lays in the inherent subject matter of the two. As most know, The Bhagavad Gita is a religious text and, as such, contains elements of the supernatural. Inversely, The Stranger is a secular non-religious text. Despite this, the goal of both works is the same. Namely, to provide a message to the reader that will inspire those in despair to return to their life with renewed vigor and knowledge of existence. In the case of the Gita, the philosophical message is rooted Krishna's assistance to Arjuna during his existential plight.

 Throughout the course of the narrative, Arjuna is preparing to war against his family and friends but is caught in an irresolvable ethical conflict. On the one hand, he is forced into war, but on the other, it is prohibited to kill one's family and gurus. In the last chapter of the text, Krishna describes to him the greatest of all secrets, that love connects one to the divine and further that one will continue the cycle of reincarnation until the heart recognizes this divine love. Ultimately, the climax is open ended with krishna telling Arjuna that after learning this greatest secret, he may then act as he so chooses. Essentially, his message is one of consolation. He implies that it's ok no matter what you do. He professes his love for Arjuna and that he can wait an eternity of reincarnations for him to connect with the divine and end the cycle.

 Interestingly, the narrative of The Stranger, while significantly darker, irreligious, and without a loving disposition, displays a similar message. In it, main character Meursault is convicted of a murder that he did not 'actively' or rather 'meaningfully' commit. As the story goes, "the trigger gave" and he passively shot an Arab brandishing a knife. During his final days before execution, a chaplain attempts to convert Meursault to Christianity, but he declines in rage, exclaiming that neither god nor his fellow men have the right to judge him for his actions. This initial realization leads to a greater philosophical awakening though inner dialogue that enables Meursault to understand existence. From here on, he commits to the belief that the universe has "a gentle indifference" to all human activity. With this understanding, he returns to the world fully prepared to face his death, even happily so.

 The similarity between these texts is rooted in the practicality of their message which is ultimately an existential one. Both begin with ethical conflicts and end with the realization that all is permitted and everything is ok. Whereas the Gita suggests that love is the key to peace with existence, Camus's work suggests that the realization of the absurdity of existence leads to detachment which then leads to peace.