A gripping tale of human unrelieved horror, of survival and resilience, and of the ways in which humankind confronts death, The Plague is at once a masterfully crafted novel, eloquently understated and epic in scope, and a parable of ageless moral resonance, profoundly relevant to our times. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Despite the epidemic's ending, Tarrou contracts the plague and dies after a heroic struggle. Official notices enacting control measures are posted, but the language used is optimistic and downplays the seriousness of the situation. By late January the plague is in full retreat, and the townspeople begin to celebrate the imminent opening of the town gates. The Plague [11] Elwyn Sterling has analysed the role of Cottard and his final actions at the end of the novel. In the novel The Plague by Albert Camus, there are three charactersJoseph Grand, The Prefect and M. Othonwho represent how government officials respond to pestilence. The Plague by Albert Camus takes place in an Algerian city known as Oran. Cottard, on the other hand, seems to flourish during the plague because it gives him a sense of being connected to others, since everybody faces the same danger. However, as more deaths quickly ensue, it becomes apparent that there is an epidemic. The Plague MATSUMOTO, Y. The Plague is considered an existentialist classic despite Camus' objection to the label. [2] Oran and its surroundings were struck by disease several times before Camus published his novel. At the end of October, M. Othon’s son is treated unsuccessfully for the plague and dies. [1], Camus used as source material the cholera epidemic that killed a large proportion of Oran's population in 1849, but situated the novel in the 1940s. He is tall and thin and, as Tarrou observes in his journal, "his small, beady eyes, narrow nose, and hard, straight mouth make him look like a well-brought-up owl." This is a fuzzy existentialism vs. humanism line. After the death of his son, some gentleness appears in Othon’s character, but he dies of plague … Towards the end of October, Castel's new antiplague serum is tried for the first time, but it cannot save the life of Othon's young son, who suffers greatly, as Paneloux, Rieux, and Tarrou tend to his bedside in horror. Fighting the plague is an affirmation of the human will to survive while the paralysis of fear and escapism are acts of surrender. The Plague Who is M. Othon in The Plague by Albert Camus? Meanwhile, Rieux's wife has been sent to a sanatorium in another city, to be treated for an unrelated chronic illness. Near the end of October, Dr. Castel's new anti-plague serum is ready to test. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. "[16], This article is about the novel by Albert Camus. MCCARTHY, P. “The Use of Narrative in The Plague.” Rieux is alone, reveals that he was the narrator this whole time (gasp! Homes are quarantined; corpses and burials are strictly supervised. People try to escape the town, but some are shot by armed sentries. Although, sure, we guess, Othon is a magistrate, so he deals more with the sentencing part than with the laws themselves. Here are some memorable quotes from the novel. What follows is my attempt to engage with the text on this level. He begins a gun fight in town and soon his taken into custody by the police. A haunting tale of human resilience in the face of unrelieved horror, Camus' novel about a bubonic plague ravaging the people of a North African coastal town is a classic of twentieth-century literature. For other uses, see, Camus (in Thody, 1970):345. Asked by bookragstutor. "No," the magistrate replied, "I've come to meet Madame Othon, who's been to present her respects to my family." M. Michel. Funerals are conducted with more speed, no ceremony and little concern for the feelings of the families of the deceased. The book was published in 1947 and is considered one of the most important works by Camus. Such people include M. Othon (sad), Jean Tarrou (catastrophically sad), and Rieux’s absent, invalid wife (we didn’t really know her that well). ... M. Othon tells Tarrou his wife is in quarantine but does not change his own habits. He inquires about the death of his son Jacques and whether the child suffered very much before he passed away. Asked by bookragstutor. He contracts the plague and dies. The engine … M. Othon: M. Othon is a magistrate in Oran. M. Othon A police magistrate of Oran who is strict and severe with everyone, including his children. Tarrou, a mysterious guy, records more journal entries. The Plague Who is M. Michel in The Plague by Albert Camus? Othon treats his wife and children unkindly, but after his son dies of the plague, his character softens. Last updated by Jill D on 29 Jun 12:48 Answers: 1. There are still some deaths (M. Othon, Rieux's wife, and worst of all, Tarrou), but it's ending. Cottard went his usual desultory ways, and M. Othon, the magistrate, continued to parade his menagerie. “The Narrator as Special Pleader. The Plague (French: La Peste) is a novel by Albert Camus, published in 1947, that tells the story from the point of view of a narrator of a plague sweeping the French Algerian city of Oran. Othon, however, does not escape death from the disease. Two government employees approach him, and he flees. "What an odd statement! After Jacques dies, Othon volunteers to stay in the isolation camp – even after his own period of quarantine is up – because it makes him feel closer to his son. Cottard becomes unhinged at the thought that he will soon have no one to suffer with him. Tall and dark, M. Othon had something of the air of what used to be called a man of the world, and something of an undertaker's assistant. In September and October, the town remains at the mercy of the plague. One character, Raymond Rambert, devises a plan to escape the city to join his wife in Paris after city officials refused his request to leave. Check out the conversation between these two men. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from Shmoop and verify that you are over the age of 13. The Plague study guide contains a biography of Albert Camus, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. They both approach fellow doctors and town authorities about their theory but are eventually dismissed on the basis of one death. Cottard is distressed by the ending of the epidemic from which he has profited by shady dealings. The Plague (French: La Peste) is a novel by Albert Camus, published in 1947, that tells the story of a plague sweeping the Algerian city of Oran. This is best done by focusing one character (perhaps two, but not more—for the sake of focus). The narrator of the chronicle says that he is Dr. Rieux and states that he tried to present an objective view of the events. Rieux hears from the sanatorium that his wife's condition is worsening. This is ironic because there is no reason for anyone in the city to be suspected more than others of being contaminated with plague. Rambert informs Tarrou of his escape plan, but when Tarrou tells him that there are others in the city, including Dr. Rieux, who have loved ones outside the city whom they are not allowed to see, Rambert becomes sympathetic and offers to help Rieux fight the epidemic until he leaves town. [6] Lulu Haroutunian has discussed Camus' own medical history, including a bout with tuberculosis, and how it informs the novel. [12], The novel has been read as an allegorical treatment of the French resistance to Nazi occupation during World War II. M. Othon: M. Othon is a magistrate in Oran. Cottard went his usual desultory ways, and M. Othon, the magistrate, continued to parade his menagerie. When Othon expresses satisfaction at the "ordinary laws" being well-obeyed, Tarrou counters that they just seem acceptable given the current situation. "The Plague" is a famous allegorical novel by Albert Camus, who's known for his existential works. “Sur ‘le fils de M. Othon’ dans La Peste.” Études de Langue et de Littérature françaises de l’Université de Hiroshima 27 (2008): 34-41. The Plague (French: La Peste) is a novel by Albert Camus, published in 1947, that tells the story of a plague sweeping the French Algerian city of Oran. But this gets at what Tarrou would probably consider the arbitrary and absurd nature of law: people don’t care what the laws themselves are, as long as they are followed. The Plague. His diatribe falls on the ears of many citizens of the town, who turned to religion in droves but would not have done so under normal circumstances. Paneloux cannot produce a moral or rational explanation for an innocent child's horrible death. Rieux is later informed via telegram that his wife has also died. It seems that Dr. … Jacques Othon is M. Othon's young son. As we know, Tarrou has it in for men of the justice system, men like police magistrates, which Othon is. Part 1 (99% in) M. Othon, the magistrate , assured Dr. Rieux that he had found the preacher's arguments "absolutely irrefutable. Tarrou watched the little old man, and the little old man spat on the cats. Grand begins working on his novel again. The Death of a Child in La Peste.” Orbis Litterarum LVI (2001): 399-416. Finally, there is M. Othon, the magistrate of Oran. [7] Marina Warner has noted the lack of female characters and the total absence of Arab characters in the novel, but also notes its larger philosophical themes of "engagement", "paltriness and generosity", "small heroism and large cowardice", and "all kinds of profoundly humanist problems, such as love and goodness, happiness and mutual connection". The inhabitants passively endure their increasing feelings of exile and separation. But to no one else has it been so instantly gratuitous. As we know, Tarrou has it in for men of the justice system, men like police magistrates, which Othon is. The separation affects daily activity and depresses the spirit of the townspeople, who begin to feel isolated and introverted, and the plague begins to affect various characters. Cottard, a criminal remorseful enough to attempt suicide but fearful of being arrested, becomes wealthy as a major smuggler. Dr. Rieux consults his colleague, Dr. Castel, about the illness until they come to the conclusion that a plague is sweeping the town. He befriends some underground criminals so that they may smuggle him out of the city. Germaine Brée has characterised the struggle of the characters against the plague as "undramatic and stubborn", and in contrast to the ideology of "glorification of power" in the novels of André Malraux, whereas Camus' characters "are obscurely engaged in saving, not destroying, and this in the name of no ideology". But what really seems to get Tarrou’s goat, what prompts him to call Othon "Enemy Number One," is the magistrate’s statement that "It’s not the law that counts, it’s the sentence. This disease takes a toll on the citizens of Oran, which make them turn on each other and for some, they question the existence of God. His second sermon is an interesting variation on … Tarrou tells Rieux the story of his life and, to take their mind off the epidemic, the two men go swimming together in the sea. After he contracts the plague, he is the first to receive some of Dr. Castel's plague serum. Tarrou and Rambert visit one of the isolation camps, where they meet Othon. In Oran, a coastal town in North Africa, the plague begins as a series of portents Asked by bookragstutor. Check out the conversation between these two men. MCCANN, J. When Othon's period of quarantine ends, he chooses to stay in the camp as a volunteer because this will make him feel less separated from his dead son. Asked by bookragstutor. Part 1 A supply of plague serum finally arrives, but there is enough to treat only existing cases, and the country's emergency reserves are depleted. He addresses the problem of an innocent child's suffering and says it is a test of a Christian's faith since it requires him either to deny everything or believe everything. In mid-August, the situation continues to worsen. A few days after the sermon, Paneloux is taken ill. His symptoms do not conform to those of the plague, but the disease still proves fatal. And that is something we must all accept. When he contracts the plague, he is the first to receive Dr. Castel's anti-plague serum. In the town of Oran, thousands of rats, initially unnoticed by the populace, begin to die in the streets. Jacques Othon. An old man, he is the first victim of the plague. She comes to visit her son during the first days of the plague. Jacques Othon: The son of M. Othon, Jacques Othon dies after he receives a failed anti-plague serum. He treats his wife and children unkindly, but after his son dies of the plague, his character softens. He reflects on the epidemic and declares he wrote the chronicle "to simply say what we learn in the midst of plagues : there are more things to admire in men than to despise". M. Michel: M. Michel is the concierge of the building in which Rieux lives. In February, the town gates open and people are reunited with their loved ones from other cities. [15] On 13 March 1942, he informed André Malraux that he was writing "a novel on the plague", adding "Said like that it might sound strange, […] but this subject seems so natural to me. After extended negotiations with guards, Rambert finally has a chance to escape, but he decides to stay, saying that he would feel ashamed of himself if he left. Fewer and fewer people die each day, and Oran begins to beat the plague. It asks a number of questions relating to the nature of destiny and the human condition. In an interview on 15 November 1945, Camus said: "No, I am not an existentialist. The novel reveals the feelings of the people that experienced the disaster of living in a plague stricken tone. He urges the congregation not to give up the struggle but to do everything possible to fight the plague. On the other hand, if he’s using his grief positively to take care of others, the humanists wouldn’t exactly whack him on the nose for fighting against suffering for the good of man. Grand catches the plague and instructs Rieux to burn all his papers. M. Othon does catch the plague and dies as does Tarrou, yet Tarrou struggles and fights until the disease takes him in the end. According to an academic study, Oran was decimated by the bubonic plague in 1556 and 1678, but all later outbreaks (in 1921: 185 cases; 1931: 76 cases; and 1944: 95 cases) were very far from the scale of the epidemic described in the novel.[3]. M. Michel: M. Michel works in Dr. Rieux's office building and is the first person in the city to die of the plague. Authorities responding to public pressure order the collection and cremation of the rats, unaware that the collection itself was the catalyst for the spread of the bubonic plague. Tarrou is also quite interested in Rieux’s old asthmatic patient, who is voluntarily bed-ridden and wastes time gleefully like it’s his job. This novel appeals to the emotions of the reader, and leaves the reader thinking about love, death, and freedom. Meanwhile, Jean Tarrou, a vacationer; Joseph Grand, a civil engineer; and Dr. Rieux, exhaustively treat patients in their homes and in the hospital. When the daily number of deaths jumps to 30, the town is sealed, and an outbreak of plague is officially declared. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. M. Michel is the concierge of the building in which Rieux lives. Hysteria develops soon afterward, causing the local newspapers to report the incident.
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