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