God is Dead, and We Have Killed Him

"God is dead... and we have killed him." This quote by 19th century Prussian philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche embodies his ideals as one of the most influential existentialist thinkers in history, as well as the father of nihilism. Nietzsche's beliefs were founded on the idea that the prevailing Judeo-Christian values of the western world were inherently false and damaging to society. This is much the same in Albert Camus' The Stranger, demonstrated in the novel through Meursault's actions and attitudes. First and foremost, Meursault rejects the common Christian culture and values of Algiers and the belief in the Christian god. He openly defies these religious laws and customs through his lack of emotion after the death of the Arab at his own hands.

Nietzsche believed that all humans must strive to be ubermensch, or supermen, and in doing so existed beyond good and evil, acting instead on their desires. Meursault demonstrates this belief in his lack of guilt for the murder he commits, claiming that the sun was the cause of the event. He instead acted on desire; desire to kill the Arab, desire to be (physically) with Marie, desire to smoke, desire to eat, etc. He sacrifices the ideas of good and evil and opts instead to act on what he wants in that moment. Because of this, Nietzsche would characterize Meursault as an ubermensch. What's more, Nietzsche was a firm believer of the notion that without God, life is meaningless, and that God himself is dead. Meursault again echoes these principles in his disbelief in God and the clear lack of meaning he finds in life. 

Nietzsche laid the groundwork for future existentialist thought, most popular through his assertion that God is dead and that real men are above good and evil, but act on their own desires.  Camus echoes many of these assertions through his text The Stranger, demonstrating just how influential Nietzsche has been in the world.