Tahavvuʻ Persian 2025

“Nausea” (La Nausée) is the first novel by Jean-Paul Sartre, the renowned French philosopher and writer. Published in 1938, it became one of the most important literary and philosophical works of the twentieth century. Considered one of the earliest examples of existentialist literature, the novel presents many of Sartre’s central ideas, including freedom, existential anxiety, and the search for meaning, through a deeply human and psychological narrative.

The story follows Antoine Roquentin, a thirty-five-year-old historian and a solitary man who, after years of living in isolation, experiences a profound and alienating encounter with existence. He gradually begins to feel that objects, situations, and even human presence in the world have lost their familiar meanings. This confrontation with the unfiltered reality of existence creates a disturbing sensation within him, which he calls “nausea.”

Roquentin records his thoughts and experiences in the form of a personal diary; writings that become an inner exploration of identity, freedom, loneliness, and the meaning of life. With limited social relationships and a tendency to observe others and reflect on human behavior, he struggles to find his place in a world that has become unfamiliar and seemingly without meaning.

In “Nausea,” Sartre uses fiction as a means to express his existentialist philosophy. The novel suggests that, in a world without predetermined meanings, human beings must confront their own freedom and assume responsibility for creating meaning in their lives.

Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980) was a French philosopher, novelist, playwright, and literary critic, and one of the most influential figures in existentialist philosophy. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964, but refused to accept the prize. “Nausea” remains one of his most significant works and one of the most influential novels exploring the relationship between literature and modern philosophy.