Role of Existentialism in in Philip Roth’s Portnoy’s Complaint

Name of Author : Vinisha Rose P B, Dr. S. Sureshkumar

Abstract: Philip Roth’s presents a vivid exploration of existential concerns through the comedic, confessional narrative of Alexander Portnoy, a young Jewish man grappling with personal desires, cultural expectations, and societal norms. Roth portrays existentialism by highlighting the tension between individual freedom and the constraints imposed by family, religion, and social conventions. Portnoy’s Complaint constant self-questioning, guilt, and internal conflict reflect the existential struggle to assert authentic identity while navigating a world rife with moral, cultural, and psychological pressures. Existentialism in the novel emerges through Portnoy’s quest for self-definition and autonomy. He oscillates between indulgence in sensual pleasure and the burden of ethical and cultural guilt, illustrating the human confrontation with freedom, responsibility, and the consequences of one’s actions. Roth uses Portnoy’s comedic exaggerations, neurotic monologues, and rebellious fantasies to expose the absurdities and contradictions inherent in human existence, emphasizing that life is often chaotic, unpredictable, and morally ambiguous. Portnoy experiences profound estrangement from his overbearing parents, Jewish community, and societal expectations, reflecting the existential theme of isolation and the difficulty of authentic self-expression in a prescriptive social environment. Roth portrays humor and irony as tools for negotiating existential anxiety, showing that laughter can coexist with existential reflection and critique. Portnoy’s Complaint employs existentialist themes to explore the human struggle for meaning, freedom, and self-actualization in a world shaped by social, cultural, and psychological constraints. Through Portnoy’s candid confessions, Roth presents life as a complex negotiation between desire, guilt, responsibility, and individuality, highlighting existentialism as central to understanding the tensions and contradictions that define human existence in modern society.

Keywords : Existentialism, Society, Freedom, Jewish community, Human

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