The Lightness and Heaviness of Being
In the book “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”, Milan Kundera shows his interest in Nietzsche, a German philosopher of the 19th century, and his philosophy, from the first line and with the concept of “eternal return”.
By this way, he confronts the reader with the fundamental issues of existence and life. According to the concept of eternal return, everything in the universe, humans and events, always repeat themselves in the same way; from Robespierre and the French Revolution to Hitler and the World War and all the good and bad events of human history.
The idea of eternal return existed in ancient texts. But in the modern era and in contemporary philosophy, it is linked with the name of Friedrich Nietzsche. Kundera quotes from Nietzsche that the idea of eternal return is the heaviest burden of existence; because every move carries an unbearable burden of responsibility. But Kundera is not sure about this and asks if heaviness is truly deplorable and lightness splendid.
To answer this question, Kundera points to a BC Greek philosopher named Parmenides, who believed that the world was divided into opposite parts, such as light and darkness, cold and warmth, and being and nonbeing. He believed that half of these opposing parts are positive and the other half are negative.
Kundera says that the division of these pairs into positive and negative poles is childishly simple, but the question of the dichotomy of heaviness and lightness is difficult and complex. Which is positive, heaviness or lightness? The contrast between Heavy and light is the most mysterious contrast.
“Destiny was lying in wait, doing its work.”
The main characters of this novel, by expressing their feelings, thoughts, wishes and dreams, show the complex and multi-layered situation of human personality in the form of love and friendship, frivolity and joy, loyalty and unfaithfulness, and cause the reader to empathize.
All these human relationships are formed in the historical context of the novel and the reflection of the events of the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and acquire social and political dimensions.
Tomas is a skilled and fun-loving doctor who is separated from his first wife.Tereza, a girl from a small town who is the epitome of innocence and a deep sense of loving and being loved. Karenin, the dog that Tomas gives to Tereza.
Sabina is Tomas’s friend who is a painter and seeks life in happiness and diversity. Sabina’s friend, Franz. But among all these, Tomas and Tereza are the central characters of the story.
Tomas’s acquaintance with Tereza happened in terms of a simple event, but if the event did not happen once because it was unrepeatable, it certainly would not have led to the acquaintance of the two. The value and charm of this acquaintance lie precisely in its sheer happenstance.
“Seven years earlier, a complex neurological case happened to have been discovered at the hospital in Tereza’s town. They called in the chief surgeon of Tomas’s hospital in Prague for consultation, but the chief surgeon of Tomas’s hospital happened to be suffering from Sciatica, and because he could not move he sent Tomas to the provincial hospital in his place.
The town had several hotels, but Tomas happened to be given a room in the one where Tereza was employed. He happened to have had enough free time before his train left to stop at the hotel restaurant. Tereza happened to be on duty, and happened to be serving Tomas’s table. It had taken six chance happenings to push Tomas towards Tereza as if he had little inclination to go to her on his own”.
Tomas, who wanted to live a free life without any dependence, felt a strong attachment to the girl he met by a simple event. This girl looked like a child who was put in a basket and left in the river. And he has taken the basket from the water beside his bed.
Tereza, with all her dreams and nightmares, has a deep love for Tomas and gives her whole life and body to him without hesitation. When Tomas’s disloyalties break Tereza’s heart and she leaves Tomas, he feels his deep attachment to Tereza and realizes the terrible void in his life. Tereza was the one who filled the holes in his existence. Tomas must return to Tereza’s arms. He gives up his freedom to live again with the innocent and lovely Tereza.
The Dichotomy of Good and Evil
This novel says that the orbit of existence is not based on eternal return, but based on linear and irreversible movement. Life is not repeated once more. It cannot be compared with past lives or corrected in the future. Therefore, there is no means to distinguish good from bad and to decide right from wrong, and no comparison is possible. In life, we encounter everything for the first time.
Like an actor who enters the stage without training. But if the first exercise of life is life itself, then what value can be given to life? Once is not counted, once is nothing. Living only once is like not living.
About the Author
Milan Kundera (1929-2023) was a writer from the Czech Republic. He was exiled to France in 1975 and became a citizen of that country in 1981. He considered himself a French writer. One of Kundera’s most famous works is “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”. Milan Kundera was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. In 2019, Milan Kundera’s Czech citizenship was returned to him after 40 years.
