Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre. Short summary

5 seconds

Diary of Antoine Rocantin, who dreams of writing a biography of the Marquis de Rolben. He is frightened by attacks of insanity, which come in waves of nausea. He realizes that only creativity will save him.

1 minute

Antoine Rocantin’s Diary. He devoted much time to studying the life of the Marquis de Rolben, who lived in the 18th century. The Marquis was a prominent figure of his era, and for his biography Antoine visited various countries. But he settled in Beauville, Normandy, as the Marquis lived there and the city’s archives are full of facts about him.

Antoine noticed that hallucination attacks came upon him, he felt nauseous at the time. Only a record of his favorite song saves him. Antoine feels his insignificance. In addition, he begins to grow cold to the Marquis. But then he loses the meaning of life.

Antoine receives a letter from Annie, his beloved, whom he broke up with six years ago. She will be passing through Paris and offers to meet. He thinks she can save him.

But Annie has changed inwardly. She calls herself «the living dead.» Antoine is nauseated again.

He returns to Beauville, asking for his favourite record. And for the first time he thinks of the singer. He realizes that if he completes his novel about the Marquise, he will not have lived his life in vain.