Camus's Recurring Motif of the Smiling Mouth in Literature
The motif of the human mouth, especially those that smile or laugh, is a recurring theme in Albert Camus's literature, used to delve into the concept of the absurd. In A Happy Death, the main character, Patrice Mersault, describes his mother as having a 'slack mouth.' In The Stranger, Meursault longs for a more attractive mouth and contemplates his somber smile while imprisoned. Additional instances can be found in 'The Adulterous Woman,' 'The Silent Ones,' and 'The Guest.' In The Plague, Tarrou smiles at the moment of his death, while Dr. Rieux observes a faded smile. Camus also connects violence to mouths in works like 'The Renegade' and The First Man. Despite this, no comprehensive study has examined the motif of 'grave smiling faces,' which embodies both joy and sorrow.
Key facts
- Albert Camus repeatedly used the smiling mouth as a motif in his literature.
- The motif appears in novels, short stories, and plays including A Happy Death, The Stranger, The Plague, The Fall, Caligula, The Misunderstanding, State of Siege, and The First Man.
- Camus juxtaposes smiles with gravity and violence to explore the absurd.
- Characters described with mouth-related traits include Patrice Mersault, Meursault, Tarrou, Jan, Martha, Raymond, and the renegade missionary.
- In A Happy Death, Patrice Mersault smiles throughout his death; the sea is described as 'a warm mouth.'
- In The Stranger, Meursault's reflection remains grave even when he smiles; Raymond is slashed in the mouth.
- In The Plague, Tarrou forces a smile as he dies; his smile fades into a mask.
- In The Fall, Jean-Baptiste Clamence sees his smile as 'double.'
- In 'The Renegade,' a missionary has his tongue cut out and his mouth tortured.
- In The First Man, a corpse has its sexual organ stuffed in its mouth.
- Camus's mother is described as smiling without moving her lips.
- The motif of 'grave smiling faces' appears in A Happy Death and The Stranger.
- Camus planned to write about 'love' after 'the absurd' and 'rebellion' but died in a car accident.
- No major study has been conducted on Camus's obsession with mouths and smiling.
Entities
Artists
- Albert Camus
- Patrice Mersault
- Meursault
- Tarrou
- Jean-Baptiste Clamence
- Marcel
- Janine
- Ballester
- Balducci
- Martha
- Raymond
- Lucienne
- Dr. Rieux
- Silenus
- Midas
- Nietzsche
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Antonello da Messina
- Lewis Carroll
- Gideon Rubin
- Gerard van Honthorst
Institutions
- TheCollector
- Los Angeles Times
- Wikimedia Commons
- Louvre
- Department of Paintings of the Louvre
Locations
- Algiers
- Paris
- France
- Rome
- Italy