Absurd Existential Nihilism in Post-Colonial Literature

Md. Chand Ali

Volume 16 Issue 1

Global Journal of Human-Social Science

This article aims to provide a sketch on the Absurdly Existential Nihilism through the focusing on four major nihilist Post Colonial philosophers and their books named “Moner Manush by Sunil Gangopadhyay or Sunil Ganguly”; “Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett; “The Outsider” by Albert Camus and “The White Tiger” by Aravind Adiga. The major theme of those books is the Absurd Philosophy of Nihilism that is related also to Existentialism. Going out of the so called social norms and customs, all the book writers’ attempts were to establish the theme of absurdity in the intellectual existence of God. The term “Nihilism” is very much against the thought of God that is mystic to Sunil, absurd to Beckett, anarchy to Camus and poverty to Adiga. But Lalon of Sunil was somewhat like a pantheist and it is really difficult to understand him. There, the characters’ perspectives are different but they are the believers of “Supreme Existentialism” or the “Nihilism” by thoughts. Derivationally, the term ‘Nihilism’ is originated from the Latin word ‘nihili’ meaning ‘nothing’ and ‘ism’ meaning the doctrine of English philosophy. So, nihilism combines the idea of extreme nothingness, is similar to the disbeliefs in God’s presence whether in this or that world after or not believing in some particular “isms” but all in humanism. Under the religious shadows, mankind tries to find some answers of some unfound and unsolved questions. Very often, they lose their beliefs over the almighty ruler of nature but fail hardly in a time because of being hit by the absurdity. It is my moot point how the four writers have tried to demonstrate their ideologies or ethics over their philosophical achievements as absurd nihilism, hereinafter. Let us have a discussion.