The Alienated Man

The alienated man has figured prominently in Western thought, challenging not simply received truths but the very foundations of philosophy and literature. In this course we will examine the role played by the alienated man from the ancient world to the modern age. Texts will include Augustine's Confessions, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground, and Camus' The Stranger. Norman Mailer's essay "The White Negro: Superficial Reflections on the Hipster," will provide the basis for a final discussion on violence, insanity, and Lee Harvey Oswald.