SISYPHUS AND THE POSSIBILITIES OF FREEDOM IN ETERNAL CONDEMNATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7443/problemata.v17i3.76535Keywords:
Sisyphus, Existencialism, Phenomenology, Freedom, TranscendenceAbstract
This article explores the myth of Sisyphus, a central figure in Existentialism, addressing his eternal punishment of pushing a stone to the top of a mountain—a task that never reaches completion. Taking Camus as a starting point and moving beyond, it seeks to reflect, based on Phenomenology and Existentialism (Husserl, Merleau-Ponty, Sartre, and Kierkegaard), on the possibility of liberation found in the re-signification of suffering and struggle. The text investigates themes such as repetition, freedom, and transcendence, questioning whether Sisyphus, as a metaphor for the human condition, can find meaning in the monotony of his condemnation. It also discusses the circular time of Tartarus, considering it as both prison and possibility of liberation, as well as the four possible reactions of Sisyphus to his own punishment: rebellion, freedom in movement, movement without effort, and abstinence. By focusing on his interaction with the condemnation, the article seeks to understand how the experience of temporal imprisonment can become meaningful, creative, and full of sense.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ana Paula Barbosa-Fohrmann
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