The Tragic Sense of Life in Men and Peoples

work by Unamuno

Also known as: “Del sentimiento trágico de la vida en los hombres y en los pueblos”(Show More)

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July 14, 2026

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The Tragic Sense of Life in Men and Peoples is a significant work by Spanish philosopher Miguel de Unamuno, first published in 1913. Unamuno, an early existentialist, was deeply concerned with the tension between intellect and emotion, and faith and reason.1

At the core of his philosophy is a profound longing for immortality. He argued that while reason denies the possibility of life after death, faith can satisfy this hunger, leading to a state of perpetual spiritual anxiety. This "tragic sense of life" drives individuals to live more fully. Unamuno's work explores this theme not just as a philosophical concept but as a fundamental aspect of the human condition, influencing discussions on tragedy as a philosophical form rather than solely a dramatic genre.12

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Miguel de Unamuno
…y en los pueblos (1913; The Tragic Sense of Life in Men and Peoples), in which he stressed the vital role spiritual anxiety plays in driving man to live the fullest possible life. This and other themes were explored in La agonía del cristianismo (1925; The Agony of Christianity).
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…y en los pueblos (1913; The Tragic Sense of Life in Men and Peoples), in which he stressed the vital role spiritual anxiety plays in driving man to live the fullest possible life. This and other themes were explored in La agonía del cristianismo (1925; The Agony of Christianity).
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Spanish literature
Novels and essays
…trágico de la vida (1913; The Tragic Sense of Life in Men and Peoples). A provocative, somewhat unsystematic thinker, Unamuno aimed at sowing spiritual disquiet. The novel became his medium for exploring personality, as in Niebla (1914; Mist), Abel Sánchez (1917), and Tres novelas ejemplares y un prólogo (1920; “Three…
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…trágico de la vida (1913; The Tragic Sense of Life in Men and Peoples). A provocative, somewhat unsystematic thinker, Unamuno aimed at sowing spiritual disquiet. The novel became his medium for exploring personality, as in Niebla (1914; Mist), Abel Sánchez (1917), and Tres novelas ejemplares y un prólogo (1920; “Three…
Read More