Camus, Nietzsche, and the Absurd: Rebellion and Scorn versus Humor and Laughter

Jul 6, 2026

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The essay compares Albert Camus’s conception of rebellion as a response to the absurd with Friedrich Nietzsche’s idea that humor and laughter can be similarly rebellious in the struggle against nihilism. Camus is presented as advocating rebellion against hopelessness or cynicism, rooted in his confrontation with the absurd and historical catastrophe. Nietzsche, by contrast, is argued to favor humor and laughter over defiance or scorn. The conclusion identifies the specific kind of rebellious humor that helps resist nihilism.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time23 min

Introduction

Camus’s rebellion and the absurd

Nietzsche’s influence on Camus

Nihilism and the “death of God”

Camus’s adoption of nihilism

M􀀄􀀍􀀊􀀌􀀏􀀁􀀈􀀂 G􀀄􀀍􀀊􀀄􀀉 CAMUS, NIETZSCHE, AND THE ABSURD: REBELLION AND SCORN VERSUS HUMOR AND LAUGHTER Abstract. In this essay, I compare Albert Camus’s conception of rebellion as a response to the absurd to Friedrich Nietzsche’s notion that humor can become rebellious and assist us in the struggle against nihilism. I show that Camus advocated rebellion as a response to nihilism and vehemently opposed the tendency to become hopeless or cynical. Unlike Camus, Nietzsche supported responding to nihilism with humor and laughter rather than with de􀀐ance or scorn. I conclude by examining the type of humor that is rebellious in nature, and show that it can assist us in the struggle against nihilism. T􀀁􀀍􀀄􀀎􀀑􀀁􀀄􀀎􀀋 􀀁􀀂􀀅 􀀍􀀌􀀃􀀈􀀋􀀂􀀒􀀌􀀃􀀇 􀀅􀀁􀀄􀀍􀀋 life, Albert Camus struggled with nihilism and the absurd nature of human existence. Indeed, many of his writings deal with the problem of nihilism and with the issues of suicide, murder, suffering, and mass death. Always serious in his writings yet never resorting to cynicism or despair, Camus advocated rebellion as a response to nihilism. The choice of rebellion as a response to the absurdity of human existence makes sense when one realizes that his lifespanned the two world wars, the horrors of the concentration camps, and the repression of innocent civilians all over the world, from South America to Algeria. Perhaps Camus’s tumultuous background helps to explain why his writings tend to be so solemn, and why his characters do not laugh much and generally do not display a sense of humor. This context may also account for the fact that he never really imagined, as one of his mentors, Friedrich Nietzsche, did, that humor and laughter, much like rebellion, could constitute a legitimate response to nihilism. P􀀁􀀂􀀃􀀄􀀅􀀄􀀆􀀁􀀇 􀀈􀀉􀀊 L􀀂􀀋􀀌􀀍􀀈􀀋􀀎􀀍􀀌, 2015, 39: 364–378 . © 2016 The Johns Hopkins University Press. M􀀄􀀍􀀊􀀌􀀏􀀁􀀈􀀂 G􀀄􀀍􀀊􀀄􀀉 365 Inspired by Camus’s notion of rebellion as a response to the absurd, this essay explores how humor can become rebellious and assist us in the struggle against nihilism. However, I begin my analysis by demonstrating that Camus was heavily in􀀓uenced by Nietzsche’s conception of nihilism. I then describe Camus’s struggle with and reaction to the absurd nature of human existence by highlighting his portrayal of nihilism in a number of works, including The Myth of Sisyphus, The Rebel, The Stanger, and The Plague. I show how Camus advocated rebellion as a response to nihilism and vehemently opposed the tendency to become hopeless or cynical. Returning to Nietzsche, I then demonstrate that, unlike Camus, he supported responding to nihilism with humor and laughter rather than with de􀀐ance or scorn. In the 􀀐nal part of the essay, I examine the type of humor that is rebellious in nature, and argue that it can assist us in the struggle against nihilism. I The in􀀓uence of Nietzsche on Camus’s thinking is a topic that has received considerable attention among various scholars in the 􀀐eld. For instance, in the opening of his article “Camus’s Fall—From Nietzsche,”William Duvall writes that “for Albert Camus, Friedrich Nietzsche was a remarkable thinker, a man of lucidity and courage, a yes-sayer to freedom and creativity, the poet-philosopher par excellence. Camus’ texts provide evidence of a deep attachment to Nietzsche and testify to the fact that Nietzsche was one of his most signi􀀐cant mentors.”1 Duvall goes on to note that the presence of Nietzsche in Camus’s thought is clear, from the numerous citations in the Notebooks to the many references to Nietzsche in works such as The Rebel, The Myth of Sisyphus, and The Stranger. Other researchers, such as George Se􀀓er and Matthew Lamb,2 have also emphasized the importance of recognizing the in􀀓uence of Nietzsche on Camus’s thought. In addition, scholars of Nietzsche and Camus have noted that these two thinkers were very intrigued by the phenomenon of nihilism—a theme that is threaded throughout their writings. Nihilism, for Nietzsche, is captured

FAQs

How does Camus connect rebellion to the absurd and nihilism?

Camus treats rebellion as a response to the absurd and positions it against despair or cynical hopelessness, rejecting the slide into nihilism.

What role does Nietzsche assign to humor and laughter regarding nihilism?

Nietzsche is argued to respond to nihilism through humor and laughter rather than through defiance or scorn, using them as a rebellious stance.

What does the essay mean by “rebellious” humor?

The essay examines the type of humor that is rebellious in nature and argues that it can support the struggle against nihilism.

Jul 6, 2026

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