Albert Camus’s 'The Plague' Explained in New Video
A video published on The School of Life’s YouTube channel explores Albert Camus’s 1947 novel 'The Plague' (La Peste). The video details how Camus, aged 28, began writing the novel in January 1941, drawing on historical epidemics such as the 14th-century Black Death and the 17th-century London plague. The story is set in Oran, Algeria, where a deadly virus kills half the population. The School of Life, a cultural and educational organization founded by philosopher Alain de Botton in 2008, produced the video, which uses texts and images to explain the novel’s reflection on human fragility.
Key facts
- Albert Camus began writing 'The Plague' in January 1941.
- The novel was published in 1947.
- Camus was 28 when he started the novel.
- The story is set in Oran, Algeria.
- A virus kills half of Oran's population.
- Camus researched the Black Death and the London plague.
- The video was published on The School of Life's YouTube channel.
- The School of Life was founded by Alain de Botton in 2008.
Entities
Artists
- Albert Camus
- Alain de Botton
Institutions
- The School of Life
Locations
- Oran
- Algeria