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History of English Literature Jayatee Bhattacharya, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 30: Existentialism

CONTENTS

Objectives
Introduction
30.1 Existential Themes
30.2 History
30.3 Origins
30.4 Concepts
30.4.1 Focus on Concrete Existence
30.4.2 Existence Precedes Essence
30.4.3 Angst
30.4.4 Freedom
30.4.5 Facticity
30.4.6 Authenticity and Inauthenticity
30.4.7 Despair
30.4.8 Reason
30.5 Summary
30.6 Keywords
30.7 Review Questions
30.8 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
Define existential themes.
Describe history and origin of existentialism.
Explain concepts of existentialism.

Introduction
Existentialism is the philosophy that places emphasis on individual existence, freedom, and
choice. Existentialism stresses the individuality of existence, and the problems that arise with
said existence. Because there is so much diversity in the philosophy of existentialism, a concrete
definition is hard to put down. Certain themes are common to almost all existential writing,
which helps mark the writing as such. The term itself suggests one major theme, the stress on
concrete, individual existence, and on subjectivity, individual freedom and choice.
The idea of the highest ethical good can be found in philosophy since the days of Socrates and
Plato. It was generally held that this good was the same for everybody; as a person approached
this moral perfection, she/he became morally like the next person approaching this moral
perfection. Kierkegaard reacted to this way of thinking by saying that it was up to the individual
to find his or her own moral perfection and his or her own way there. “I must find the truth that
is the truth for me. . .the idea for which I can live or die” he wrote. Other Existentialists have
followed along this way of thinking, one must choose one’s own way, make their own individual
paths without the aid of universal ideas or guidance.

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