Caligula

Main Ideas

• Absurdity and the meaninglessness of existence: Caligula realizes the absurdity of life after the death of his sister and lover Drusilla, which drives him to despair and cruelty.
• Freedom and tyranny: Caligula uses his absolute power to impose his will and test the limits of human freedom, resulting in his tyrannical rule.
• Rebellion against fate: Caligula attempts to challenge fate and the gods, striving for the impossible and trying to change the inevitable.
• Existential emptiness: The protagonist experiences a profound sense of emptiness and alienation, reflecting Camus' existential themes of searching for meaning in a meaningless world.
• Morality and immorality: Caligula questions traditional moral values, demonstrating how absolute power can lead to moral degradation.