Speechless Eloquence in Camus’ L’exil Et Le Royaume [Exile And The Kingdom]

L'exil et le royaume has received far less critical attention than Albert Camus' novels or even his plays, and yet the theme of exile aligns it with his most famed work, L'Etranger. Consequently, his short stories require reappraisal and reconsideration alongside his more popular works. Much of Camus' writing is marked by his dual obsession with both expression and physical experience. Critics such as Germaine Brée have understood the importance of silence in Camus' life, with particular reference to the muteness of his mother and the deafness of his uncle. However, this autobiographical reading has not been extended to his collection of short stories, L'exil et le royaume. English Showalter Jr reminds us that silence is 'one of humanity's first encounters with the absurd'; another key concept that Camus grapples with. However Camus' preoccupation with the absurd and the (in)expressible has yet to be connected with his predilection for writing narratives whose dramas are often centred around non-verbal moments. This article establishes a connection between Camus' use of silence in his collection of short stories, L'exil et le royaume, with his philosophical quandaries on the absurdist 'void', and his decision to move beyond language itself and reflect upon the natural universe that surrounds us.