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In the Presence of Schopenhauer


Synopsis


The work of Michel Houellebecq - one of the most widely read and controversial novelists of our time - is marked by the thought of Schopenhauer. When Houellebecq came across a copy of Schopenhauer's Aphorisms in a library in his mid-twenties, he was bowled over by it and he hunted down a copy of his major philosophical work, The World as Will and Representation. Houellebecq found in Schopenhauer - the radical pessimist, the chronicler of human suffering, the lonely misanthrope - a powerful conception of the human condition and of the future that awaits us, and when Houellebecq's first writings appeared in the early 1990s, the influence of Schopenhauer was everywhere apparent.  

But it was only much later, in 2005, that Houellebecq began to translate and write a commentary on Schopenhauer's work. He thought of turning it into a book but soon abandoned the idea and the text remained unpublished until 2017. Now available in English for the first time, In the Presence of Schopenhauer is the story of a remarkable encounter between a novelist and a philosopher and a testimony to the deep and enduring impact of Schopenhauer's philosophy on one of France's greatest living writers.

Michel Houellebecq (author), Andrew Brown (translator)

Summary

Chapter 1: The Schopenhauerian Landscape

* Explores the philosophical framework of Schopenhauer, focusing on his key concepts of the will-to-live, suffering, and redemption.
* Example: The novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Goethe is cited as an example of Schopenhauer's influence, depicting a young man driven by the will-to-live toward self-destruction.

Chapter 2: The Tyrant Within

* Delves into Schopenhauer's pessimistic view of the human condition, arguing that suffering is an inherent part of existence due to the insatiable nature of the will-to-live.
* Example: The protagonist of "The Stranger" by Camus experiences a profound sense of apathy and meaninglessness, reflecting Schopenhauer's belief that life is governed by irrational forces beyond our control.

Chapter 3: The Path to Salvation

* Examines Schopenhauer's proposals for overcoming suffering, including the pursuit of aesthetic experiences, withdrawal from the world, and the cultivation of compassion.
* Example: The character of Hamlet in Shakespeare's play is portrayed as balancing contemplation and action, seeking redemption through self-knowledge and ethical decision-making.

Chapter 4: The Wisdom of Pessimism

* Explores the paradoxical benefits of embracing pessimism, arguing that it can lead to a more honest and realistic perspective on life.
* Example: The novel "Against the Day" by Thomas Pynchon features characters who grapple with the absurdity of existence and find solace in the acceptance of their own mortality.

Chapter 5: The Legacy of Schopenhauer

* Traces the influence of Schopenhauer's philosophy on thinkers such as Nietzsche, Freud, and Wittgenstein.
* Example: Nietzsche's concept of the "will to power" is seen as a reinterpretation of Schopenhauer's will-to-live, while Freud's exploration of the unconscious mind draws parallels to Schopenhauer's emphasis on the irrationality of human behavior.

Chapter 6: Schopenhauer in the 21st Century

* Discusses the relevance of Schopenhauer's ideas in contemporary society, including the implications for art, literature, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.
* Example: The works of artists like David Lynch and musicians like Radiohead reflect the influence of Schopenhauer's pessimism and exploration of the human condition.