The Tragedy of Man in Cioran

To possess existence is, in essence, to possess the capacity for a search for meaning. For this reason, existence belongs solely to the human being among all living creatures. The human subject resists confinement within objectivity and thus cannot be contained within the framework of the sense offered by a universe reduced to mere factuality. This condition, in turn, gives rise to what may be called the existential tragedy. Yet while the human being strives to ascribe meaning to existence, existence itself continually eludes it. It is precisely such a being that Cioran calls the tragic being.

Cioran interprets the tragedy of humanity through the narrative of expulsion from paradise. This tragedy begins with the “fall into time” and culminates in the “falling out of time”: the demands of life appear futile, and the need for God turns into a longing for nothingness. Salvation, for the individual, lies in death; for humanity, in extinction.

This book explores Cioran’s thought through these two concepts, offering a journey into the tragic depths of existence. His philosophy unsettles the reader while inviting them to confront the darkest horizon of being.