Download - Dirty Hands
Dirty Hands 1
Dirty Hands
Jean Paul Sartre
1948
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The Burden of Existence
�Karsky: I saw your father last week. Would you still be interested in any news of him?
�Hugo: No
�Karsky: It is very likely that you will bear the responsibility for his death
�Hugo: It is practically certain that he bears the responsibility for my life, so we’re even.
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Man is condemned to be free
- Existentialism is a Humanism
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Existentialism of Sartre
�We do not know what we want and yet we are responsible for what we are - that is the fact
�Everything has been figured out, except how to live
�Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you
�God is absence. God is the solitude of man
� It is only in our decisions that we are important
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Jean Paul Sartre 1905 - 1980
� Orphaned at 15 months - brought up by his maternal grandfather
� Studied Philosophy at Ecole Normale Superieure - Meets Simone de Beauvoir
� Joins French Army 1939 - Taken prisoner of war by Germans - later released for poor health
� Founder member of underground resistance movement -Socialisme et Liberte
� Leads anti French colonialism movement in Algeria� Embraces Communism� Along with Bertrand Russell opposes Vietnam War� Defends Munich Olympic Massacre of 1972
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Existential Ethics
�Being true to yourself - authenticity
�Freedom of action determines authenticity - we are nothing but what we make of ourselves
�Take full responsibility for your actions - even over things you have no control on
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The Setting
�Country: Illyria - Eastern Europe
�Period: Later part of WW II
�Regent (a fascist) is an ally of Germany
�Soviet Army is fast advancing
�Two underground resistance movements - PP (Proletarian Party - Communist) and Pentagon (Nationalist Bourgeoisie)
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The Main Characters
�Hugo
�Hoederer
�Jessica (Hugo’s wife)
�Olga
�Louis
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The Circumstances
�Regent wants to secure his post war position -moots a secret pact with PP and Pentagon
�Difference of opinion in PP on ideology (Louis) vs. expediency (Hoederer)
�Louis and Olga plan to have Hoederer killed -though Hoederer has mandate of majority in the Central Committee
�Hugo - a young recruit of bourgeois background volunteers - to prove himself
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The Plot Unfolds
�Hugo joins as resident secretary to Hoederer
�Jessica accompanies him - she finds a pistol in his belongings - Hugo tells her it is to kill Hoederer
�Hugo and Jessica’s belongings are searched as a routine by Hoederer’s guards
�Jessica hides the pistol Hugo has brought in her undergarments - they avoid being caught
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Hoederer meets the Prince and Karsky
�They work out a war time and post war arrangement of working together
�Hugo bursts out
�A grenade comes crashing in through the window
�Nobody is seriously injured
�Hugo feels cheated by Louis and Olga - it was Olga who threw the grenade
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In Hugo’s Room
�Olga tells Jessica the party thinks Hugo is a traitor - not having killed Hoederer yet
�She gives him one more day though - leaves
�Hoederer visits Hugo - to gauge him?
�Jessica initiates Hugo into a dialogue with Hoederer on how he’s acting a traitor
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Dialogue with Hoederer
� Hoederer - The arrival of the Soviet Army will not be the solution - but we must use it to bargain
� Hugo - Contamination of ideas, collaboration with class enemies, compromise…
� Hoederer - If you do not want to take chances you shouldn’t be in politics
� Hugo - What about the comrades who died� Hoederer - I don’t give a damn for the dead. They
died for the party, and the party can decide as it sees fit about them. I pursue a policy of the living for the living
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Dialogue…
�Hugo - You will lie to people
�Hoederer - Sometimes
�Hugo - All means are not good
�Hoederer - All means are good when they’re effective…
�Hoederer - I have dirty hands…I’ve plunged them in filth and blood…Do you think you can govern innocently
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Jessica and Hoederer
�Jessica who is shown to be ‘cold’ is infatuated (or fascinated) with Hoederer
�She tells Hoederer of Hugo’s intention - but Hoederer had already known
�Hoederer says he will not harm Hugo
�Jessica - Have him disarmed gently…
�Hoederer - No. That would humiliate him. One shouldn’t humiliate a man. I’ll talk to him
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Hoederer and Hugo
� Hoederer discusses his stand with Hugo
� Hugo is not convinced
� Hoederer gives him an opportunity to kill him by turning his back to get coffee - Hugo doesn’t act
� Hoederer takes the gun from Hugo
� Hoederer - …revolution is not a question of virtue but of effectiveness…the best work is not the work which takes the most sacrifices. It’s the work in which you can best succeed
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Hoederer and Hugo…
�Hugo has already started liking (loving?) Hoederer for his authenticity
�Hugo - …and I know now that I could never shoot you because - because I like you
�However, Hugo cannot give up on his conviction
�Hugo goes out for a while
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Hoederer’s Killing
�Jessica enters - confesses that she wants Hoederer
�She wishes to find out whether she is really cold - and wants Hoederer to take her
�Hoederer is tempted to kiss her�Enter Hugo - he shoots Hoederer�Guards come in - Hoederer dying, tells them
not to harm Hugo - that he had been sleeping with his wife
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Was it Jealousy?
� Hugo - Never Mind, Jessica. I’m not sore at you and I’m not jealous; we weren’t really in love. But he, he almost took me in: ‘I’ll help you….He didn’t give a damn for me
� Later in Olga’s house� Olga - …weren’t you jealous?� Hugo - …Jealous? Perhaps. But not about Jessica� Hugo - I loved Hoederer…I loved him more than
anyone in the world…It’s not my crime that tortures me but the fact that he’s head
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Is Hugo Salvageable?
� Olga realizes that Hugo’s was not a crime of passion -but Raskolnikov must die - he died of eating poisoned chocolates in prison
� Hugo can be back in the party with a new name
� But the Louis and Olga have now made a volte face -taking on Hoederer’s stand on Soviet diktat
� Hugo is also not taking pride in his killing - the change in party line will not pose an ideological problem (or will it?)
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Hugo’s Death
�Hugo doesn’t know why he killed Hoederer -but feels it was the right thing - though not at the right time
�He also liked Hoederer and wishes him to have a death for his ideas - a death he deserves
�Hugo declares himself unsalvageable so that Hoederer’s death is not demeaned - that he was killed over a woman
�Hugo is killed…
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Ethics & Leadership of Hoederer
� From a teleological point of view - may have been justified - avoidance of bloodshed
� Ethics of respect - did not want to humiliate Hugo
� Ability to influence people
� Good personal character
� Cares for people
� Sound decision maker
� Not impulsive
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Ethics of Hugo
�Authenticity
�Honest about his feelings
�Sound deontological ethics
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Thank You