Metodo

International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

184810

Dissidence, citizenry, and witnessing

three screenplays by Jorge Semprún

Txetxu Aguado

pp. 187-201

Abstract

For Jorge Semprún, acknowledging the miseries of history with its pain and suffering—events of the magnitude of the concentration camp, political repression, or the disillusionment with communist societies—does not mean, on the other hand, blindly accepting these insufficiencies.1 The narrative he develops both in his literary oeuvre and in his screenplays does not yield to a conceptualization of history as an impending force of destiny or as an unavoidable scheme driven by natural powers. This is to say, his works struggle to outline just how important it is to disassociate the shortcomings of history from any type of unavoidable doom. The political is historical and history is uncompromisingly political.

Publication details

Published in:

Ferrán Ofelia, Herrmann Gina (2014) A critical companion to Jorge Semprún: Buchenwald, before and after. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 187-201

DOI: 10.1057/9781137439710_11

Full citation:

Aguado Txetxu (2014) „Dissidence, citizenry, and witnessing: three screenplays by Jorge Semprún“, In: O. Ferrán & G. Herrmann (eds.), A critical companion to Jorge Semprún, Dordrecht, Springer, 187–201.