Mind–Body Conflict and Moral Consciousness: Rethinking Descartes and D. H. Lawrence in Albert Camus’ A Happy Death
M Thommai Michael, J Jebaraj Kingsly Zechariah
International Journal of Research in English March 1, 2026 DOI: 10.33545/26648717.2026.v8.i3a.658 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAn examination of Albert Camus's novel A Happy Death interprets two central characters, Patrice Meursault and Zagreus, through the ideologies of René Descartes and D. H. Lawrence. The analysis treats the novel as ethical philosophy, presenting Zagreus as a Cartesian subject and Meursault as an example of embodied consciousness drawn from Lawrence's philosophy. The story follows Meursault, who takes wealth from the wealthy cripple Zagreus after Zagreus ends his own life, and eventually comes to recognize the importance of physical objects, aligning with Lawrence's concept of blood-consciousness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Ideology Embodied cognition Consciousness Context archaeology Subject documents |
| Key finding | Argues that Zagreus represents a Cartesian subject and Meursault's consciousness embodies D. H. Lawrence's philosophy of blood-consciousness. |
Abstract
Patrice Meursault and Zagreus, the two pivotal characters of Albert Camus’s A Happy Death (1971), are being examined and interpreted in the light of the shown ideologies of René Descartes and D. H. Lawrence. The research explores the novel and ideologies in the manner of ethical philosophy. The paper explores Zagreus as a Cartesian subject and Meursault's embodied consciousness in the context of D. H. Lawrence's philosophy. The novel narrates the story of Meursault and Zagreus, a wealthy cripple; he ends his life. Meursault took his wealth to accomplish the philosophy of Zagreus; eventually, he realized the importance of physical objects, which is D.H. Lawrence’s blood-consciousness.