The Flies

play by Sartre

Also known as: “Les Mouches”

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June 26, 2026

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The Flies is a play by Jean-Paul Sartre, written in 1943. It is set in the city of Argos, where the citizens are living under the oppressive rule of Jupiter and are forced to live in constant fear and guilt. The play explores themes of freedom, responsibility, and the human condition through the story of Orestes, who returns to Argos to avenge his father's murder.

Sartre, a leading figure in existentialism, used the play to examine his philosophical ideas. He believed that humans are radically free and responsible for their choices, even in the face of overwhelming circumstances. The Flies illustrates this by showing how Orestes, through his actions, defies Jupiter's will and liberates the people of Argos from their self-imposed guilt and fear. The play challenges traditional notions of divine authority and emphasizes the power of individual choice in shaping one's destiny.

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French literature
Sartre
…such as Les Mouches (1943; The Flies) and Huis-Clos (1944; No Exit, also published as In Camera) and in the treatise L’Être et le néant (1943; Being and Nothingness). After Liberation, the writer and his ideas set the tone for a postwar generation that congregated in the cafés and cellar…
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…such as Les Mouches (1943; The Flies) and Huis-Clos (1944; No Exit, also published as In Camera) and in the treatise L’Être et le néant (1943; Being and Nothingness). After Liberation, the writer and his ideas set the tone for a postwar generation that congregated in the cafés and cellar…
Read More

tragedy
Aeschylus: the first great tragedian
… (1939), and Jean-Paul Sartre, in The Flies (1943), found modern relevance in its archetypal characters, situations, and themes, and in the 21st century the Oresteia is still considered one of the greatest spiritual works written.
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… (1939), and Jean-Paul Sartre, in The Flies (1943), found modern relevance in its archetypal characters, situations, and themes, and in the 21st century the Oresteia is still considered one of the greatest spiritual works written.
Read More