Abstract
The author discusses the famous work by Albert Camus “The Stranger” while using the “law and literature” approach. First the author describes the circumstances of the creation of the work (its possible literary motivations, etc.); second, the author explains the story of the novel.
The events in the fi rst part of the novel (the actions of the protagonist – the “white Algerian” Mersault – result in the death of a local Arab) become the object of a court proceeding in the second part. The analysis focuses on the activity of the investigating judge (with some interesting aspects of the state – church relationship in France at that time) and on the court proceeding, which results in Mersault’s conviction and his penalty of death.
The trial can be interpreted as a ritualistic public repudiation of the protagonist, who refused to accept society’s hypocritical rules.