Jean-Paul Sartre is a defining character of the existentialist movement. His existentialist philosophy centres on the ideathat individuals are condemned to be free, meaning that humans have the freedom to make their own choices and must bear the responsibility for the consequences of these choices. Sartre argues that there is no or inherent meaning to human existence; instead, that meaning is created through actions and decisions – he famously said ‘existence precedes essence’ – three words that came to define existentialism. This emphasis on radical freedom is accompanied by the concept of "bad faith," where individuals deceive themselves to escape the anxiety associated with absolute freedom and responsibility.In both Huis Clos and Les Mouches, Sartre explores these existential themes through his characters’ struggles with their own freedom and the guilt that arises from their actions.
Huis Clos is set in hell – which, surprisingly, is void of all torture devices and inescapable heat. Instead, placed in a room together, three people are forced to confront the consequences of their past actions and their inability to escape each other’s judgment. The play illustrates how individuals’ attempts to evade responsibility can cause a perpetual state of psychological torment. The room, which is allegedly hell, has no physical means of escape, much in the way of a prison. Instead, the true prison is the internal conflict and guilt they cannot escape. It is an internal psychological prison that the characters inhabit. It becomes a space where their past actions and decisions are scrutinized, and their denial of responsibility and freedom is put on display (the so called ‘bad faith’). For instance, Garcin, struggles with the guilt of his cowardice and betrayal during his lifetime. He initially tries to justify his actions by blaming external factors and avoiding personal responsibility. However, he eventually is forced to face the reality of his choices. Similarly, Estelle also grapples with herguilt, which is deeply tied to ‘bad faith’. Estelle is haunted by her actions related to her romantic entanglements and her subsequent murder of her child. She tries to seek validation and escape through superficial, which reflects her reluctance to face the true nature of her actions (as she desperately tries to distract herself). The play contains the famous line "L'enfer, c'est les autres" which encapsulates the existential torment the characters experience. This line reflects the central idea that the characters are trapped not only by their own self-deception but also by each other’s judgments. Their interactions reveal the ways in which they project their guilt onto one another and are forced to confront their own moral failings through the eyes of their peers. The inability to escape each other’s scrutiny exacerbates their sense of guilt and highlights their internal conflict. However, if the characters were to boldly accept the weight of their actions (through admitting to their freedom), they would feel a considerable burden lifted from their shoulders as the no longer feel the need to conform to societal expectations and so only have to be right in their own eyes.
Similarly, Les Mouches reimagines the ancient Greek myth of Orestes and Electra to explore the themes of guilt and rebellion against divine and societal norms. The characters in Les Mouches grapple with the imposed guilt from external forces (represented by the flies), reflecting Sartre’s existentialist view that true freedom requires rejecting external moral authorities and accepting personal responsibility for one’s choices. At the heart of Les Mouchesis Orestes’ journey from being a passive recipient of external guilt to actively confronting and rejecting it. This is seen in his sudden transformation when conversing with Electra. While at one point she fails to even recognise him as her brother (from her dreams), she soon begins to say that he is a changed person and has become the bold avenger of her father. Orestes’ initial state is one of victimhood, as he is burdened by the expectations of the gods and the moral obligations imposed upon him. However, Orestes soon evolves into a figure of existential rebellion. He rejects the divine authority and the guilt imposed by the Furies, choosing instead to take personal responsibility for his actions and assert his own moral agency. We see that Zeus declares the God’s have no power over one who knows that they are free. This is also seen in the furies’ rejection to swarm Orestes as they do the others. His rejection of societal constraints and norms represents the fundamental existential act of embracing freedom. By rejecting the external sources of guilt and moral authority, Orestes acknowledges his own role and agency in shaping his destiny. His acceptance of responsibility for his choices reflects Sartre’s existentialist belief that true freedom comes from embracing one’s own role in creating meaning and moral values, rather than deferring to external forces.Conversely, Electra succumbs to societal pressures and cannot escape the guilt of the murders (though all she did was dream it up). We see how Orestes is much more satisfied due to his internal peace and acceptance of his acts while Electra wallows in misery as she continues to be burdened by guilt – in the form of a swarm of flies.
Thus, Jean-Paul Sartre’s Huis Clos (No Exit) and Les Mouches (The Flies) offer fascinating explorations of existential themes through their depiction of guilt and freedom. Both strive to reject ‘bad faith’ and show that true freedom is in accepting one’s freedom and rejecting judgement. By transcending societal constraints, one is no longer burdened by society’s expectations and can now have complete agency. Thus it is with accepting our freedom that we can finally be free.
Bibliography
Sartre, J.-P., 1943. Les Mouches. Translated by Paul Bowles. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Sartre, J.-P., 1944. Huis Clos. Translated by Stuart Gilbert. London: Penguin Books.
