Summary:
An analysis of Albert Camus' development of Cottard as antihero, and his treatment of Cottard's demise, in Camus' novel The Plague. The analysis also looks at how Camus utilizes Tarrou's assessment of Cottard to illuminate Cottard's place within the novel's larger themes, including those of exile and love.
The Plague
Throughout life there are always people who have the faint illusion of being able to elude their problems and the feeling of Sartre's anguish. Whether it is something minuscule such as having to pay a traffic ticket or larger like having to live in constant fear and paranoid of being arrested, which will happen eventually. One could say that "no, not all people get caught eventually", I agree not all but, most of the time people are caught. In some cases people are fortunate of having something come about that gives them a second chance. This does not just refer to crimes but, also problems in life. Such as is the case for a man (Cottard) in Camus' novel The Plague, this man is one with severe problems such as his, "secret grief" which Grand names. One presumes that this problem is severe because the first time one encounters Cottard is when Grand and Rieux save him from his attempted suicide (p.32). One resolves from Camus' clues through the novel that Cottard has committed a crime, and catches a break once Plague strikes Oran, "plague has put an effective stop to police inquiries..." (p.196). Camus develops Cottartd as the Antihero of this novel, throughout the novel Cottard only looks out for himself and is glad plague has hit since, it has offered him a second chance. Towards the novel's end Camus shows how Cottard has brought about his demise and with the help of Tarrou's assessment of Cottard one is able to see Cottard's place within the novel's larger themes of the novel such as exile and love.
Camus' develops Cottard as the novel's Antihero. Cottard is a man who only looks out for himself. The only reason he is nice to people is to find "witnesses" that he is a "good" man. For example when Cottard and Grand go to a restaurant he believes a waiter could be a witness he says, ."..he'd make a good witness." Cottard goes on to explain, ."..he could say I'm not really a bad kind of man." One sees that Cottard does this in faint hopes that if he is arrested this could help him out. Maybe he would be let off the hook with the help of these "witnesses." Unlike the three main characters' (Rieux, Tarrou, and Paneloux) that help fight plague, Cottard declines to aid in the fight against plague. Cottard is content with the plague and does not intend to do anything to disturb it, "the plague suits me quite well and I see no reason why I should bother about trying to stop it." (p.l58). One sees that Cottard exists simultaneously with the plague. When plague breaks out Cottard is able to escape his world of fear and paranoia. When plague grows stronger Cottard's agonizing over the fear of police reduces.
Towards the novel's end one sees that Cottard is becoming more comfortable with the opportunity plague has given him. Cottard begins to smuggle things in an out of Oran, at one point he even tries to help Rambert smuggle himself out of Oran. One sees this is not a smart move on Cottard's part. Not smart because it could bring unwanted attention. Attention from, "people who take an interest in you only to make trouble..." (p.57), when one is wanting to be "left in peace" (Cottard) this is not the attention one wants. In the end Camus' shows how Cottard has brought about his own demise. His worst fear becomes a reality the police arrest him in the end. Plague has retreated and it takes Cottard's second chance along with it.
Near the novel's end one comes across an assessment Tarrou has made about Cottard, "His only real crime is that of having in his heart approved of something that killed off men, women, and children. I can understand the rest, but for that I am obliged to pardon him."(p.302). This sheds light on Cottard's place on the themes of exile and love. When one first encounters Cottard one realizes that he has already been under exile. His world of fear and paranoia of being arrested has kept him exiled from other people and the world outside this fear. At one point Cottard is referred to as, "man, who had an ignorant, that is to say lonely, heart." This exile is responsible for Cottard's inability to share love with a family or friends. One sees that Tarrou understands Cottard because plague has allowed him to become "free" from this particular exile. This is one reason why Cottard "approved" of plague; it allowed him to escape his world of fear. While plague was present Cottard no longer had to suffer this self made exile.
Cottard was unable to avoid Sartre's anguish. Camus' has shown that no matter what the problems they don't just go away. One can take Cottard as an example in the end his fears get back to him and they become reality. In the end everything you do catches up with you. One is able to kid oneself into eluding the possibility of avoiding or forgetting one's troubles. Reality is this is impossible some way or other things have there way of getting back.
This is the complete article, containing 867 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page).
