Caligula and the letters to a german friend - deliberations regarding the actions of Camus’s characters in regard to the ethics of absurdity and the concept of metaphysical rebellion

In the very rich literature devoted to the analysis of Camus’s thought, much has been written about the relationship between Caligula and the absurd. Occasionally, the play is interpreted as having a close relationship with the Camusian concept of revolt Without going into detail as to the possibility of a precise and acceptable separation of the two notions, on the one hand it is convincing to see Caligula, as a part of the absurd cycle, showing the effect of absurdity on an individual, practicing his absurd freedom in an unrestrained way. On the other hand, Caligula meets opposition to his actions, which allows one to consider the relationship of the play with the idea of revolt, a central theme of Camus’s second cycle of works and his revision of the problem of values in relation to the absurd condition. This article proposes perceiving the character of Caligula as both an absurd hero and as an important illustration of development with regards to Camus’s concept of revolt. Rather than limiting its meaning to one of the major themes of Camus’s thought, given our contemporary knowledge of its dynamics, this paper suggests seeing the development of the play throughout Camus’s career as a signpost of the important evolution in the writer’s attitude towards the initial conclusions of absurd consequences. Caligula offers an important analysis about the consequences of the absurd on human consciousness, as it does about the dangers in the transgression of limits, which Camus seeks to impose upon human action in the given, absurd situation