The Plague [Paperback]

Albert Camus (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0075536498 | ISBN-13: 978-0075536499 | Publication Date: February 1, 1965 | Edition: 1

Translated by Stuart Gilbert

Product Details

• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 1 edition (February 1, 1965)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0075536498
• ISBN-13: 978-0075536499
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Plague: A Tale of Occupation, November 5, 2005

By 

Drew Veysey "Drew" (Iowa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Plague (Paperback)

On the surface, this is a story of a plague outbreak in colonial Oran, Algeria, but Camus is actually giving an extended allegory to the Nazi Occupation of France while reiterating his idea of the Absurd.
The good Dr. Bernard Rieux is comparable to Charles DeGaulle in his constant effort to battle against the forces of oppression. Rieux along with Dr. Castel warn the city government of the dangers of the plague, but the government drags its feet. This is comparable to the feet-dragging and mismanagement by the French government in response to the German Blitz of World War Two.
The worst characters in the novel could also be considered the most colluding members of French society to the Nazi occupation. The character Cottard seems to revel in the new "occupation" by the plague. It makes him feel less alone and that everyone is suffering through the personal struggles he must deal with constantly. He greedily excuses himself from responsibility to fight the plague at all. Camus is probably comparing Cottard to the fascist Vichy Government set up by the Nazis after France's fall. Cottard, because he is a fascist, is delighted that everyone must now conform to his sick ideals.
The public itself represents the general French public during the occupation. They try to escape the plague by going to movies and plays, but soon reality stops them from enjoying even that when the actors all start dying from plague. This demonstrates Camus's belief that most people were indifferent and chose to be helpless during the occupation (Camus founded the left-wing Resistance newspaper Combat).
I quite enjoyed all the allusions made in The Plague. A good novel for all readers and a definite must read for fans of existentialism.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Novel, January 27, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Plague (Paperback)

Rarely in the history of literature has a work of art risen beyond its time period, beyond its own temporal moral lessons. Camus writes of the "rats," the metaphorical Nazis, that infect an empty city, rip it apart, plop it on its head, expose it nude. And he shows us those who fight back ("two plus two equals four") and those who wimp away. Camus wrote the novel in a small town called Le Chambon in 1944, where 5,000 Christian saved 5,000 Jews. And today, do we not witness those who slink from confrontation? those who carry forth Cicero's duties? those who profit? those who die? And is it not best to ask, in the end, where is the meaning? Camus answers.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great theme, though slightly dull at some points, November 18, 2006

By 

David P. Wester (Marshall, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Plague (Paperback)

This book, first of all, has a great theme. The theme of endurance and carrying through is a wonderful moral and is expressed very clearly. The problem I have with this book is that it is slightly boring at some points. It seems to go on and on sometimes and I think Camus could have written this in a lot less space. I had to read this for a class and I chose it because the plot sounds interesting. And to the book's credit, it is one of the few books that actually is what the summary says it is. The book is deep, but not so deep that the reader can't understand it. It is a good read, but dull at some points.