. . . the presiding judge told me in bizarre language that I was to have my head cut off in a public square in the name of the French people.
This line really struck for a multitude of reasons. The tone was brutal and old-fashioned, reminding me of the French Revolution. It made me wonder if it was meant to critique misplaced patriotism, or maybe the power of a mob.
But a mob is not the driving force of this scene. The judge announcing this verdict is. Maybe this line is instead a criticism of the justice system. Meursault's usual flat, impersonal tone seems to convey more in this scene: for once, there is an iceberg. He is shocked, but there is also a sardonic nature in his words. The 'bizzare language' in particular suggests a larger criticism of the artificiality, the inaccessibility of the justice system. Meursault has been pretty bewildered throughout his trial. Previous scenes have shown a sort of brutality in the court's manner towards various witnesses - Marie even bursts into tears.
Additionally, the court does not seem to care about the Arab man whom Meursault killed. The man is barely mentioned at all during the trial. It's clear, then, that the court is finding Meursault guilty not of killing a man, but for not being right for their society. He does not behave as a proper French person should.
Meursault is getting his head cut off in a public square in the name of the French people because he is not one himself.
I thought that this line made a lot of sense as a continuation of the absurdity of the trial. If we see the trial as trying Meursault as a person and for his lack of emotion and morals, then this line makes clear the absurdity of trying someone for these reasons. The court is not trying Meursault for his actions it is trying him for his lack of emotion and for being what, in there opinion, is not someone that they could conceive of being possible in their society. This line makes it clear that they are trying him for not behaving or thinking like a acceptable Frenchman.
ReplyDeleteYou're right that this moment is seemingly a rare iceberg, given much of Meursault's narration seems un-opinionated. But I definitely sense an ironic tone to the phrase "in the name of the French people". Maybe the phrase "bizarre language" is meant to highlight the court's weird bureaucracy?
ReplyDeleteThis line is really intriguing, especially, as you mention, since Meursault is in a colony rather than France itself. I think that the fact that there is no mention of the Arab man is related to that. The Arab man is even less represented by the “French people” than Meursault is. In giving the verdict “in the name of the French people,” they are further removing the connection between the victim and the verdict.
ReplyDeleteNice post. Just to play devil's advocate, Camus may be also trying to show the irony that the french people are so against Meursault and his ideologies when his ideologies are common among the french colonizers. They killed without reason and weren't really held accountable to that. Just a thought :)
ReplyDeleteI think that what you say about Meursault being executed for not being like the other French people is important to the story. Along with the wording of how Meursault describes his sentence and the focus of the trial, it creates the sense of absurdity found throughout the story.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. I think that Meursault is being prosecuted just being he is different than the other french people. I think that this symbolizes a larger picture of society. If you do not fit into the "norm" you will be condemned. Very interesting quote!
ReplyDelete