The manifestation of existentialism in the play "Bridge to Eternity" by Ghassan Kanafani

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

facolty of payam e noor

Abstract
Existentialism is a philosophical movement that considers man to be the center of existence, as well as a free being who lives in a tense and meaningless world and must strive to find meaning and purpose in life. Among its most prominent principles are the originality of existence, Alienation, guilt, emptiness, anxiety, and other cases. Critics believe that Ghassan Kanafani, a renowned Palestinian writer, was influenced by existentialist philosophy in his literary works, including the play "Bridge to Eternity." In this play, the author enters the realm of abstraction, symbolism, and imaginary myths to portray the existential crises of the Palestinian people. In this way, he seeks to recover the identity and authenticity of this nation.The purpose of the present study is to examine the play "Bridge to Eternity" within the framework of the philosophical system of existentialism using a descriptive-analytical method and, while examining the most prominent existentialist themes, it also explains the implicit meanings of the text, the philosophical views and the author's worldview. This study attempts to answer two questions: What are the most important manifestations of existentialism in the play *A Bridge to Eternity*? And to what concepts did the author employ existential principles? The research reveals that alienation, the authenticity of existence, guilt, and temporality are among the most significant existential manifestations in the play. Using existential elements, the writer portrays the suffering of the Palestinian people and their perspective on being, life, and destiny. Through the symbolic character of "Faris," he depicts the fragmentation of identity and the existential void that has afflicted his fellow citizens. By portraying these existential indicators and illustrating their consequences, Kanafani aims to warn society against a drift toward crises.

Keywords

Subjects

Send comment about this article
Enter Name.
Enter a valid email address.
Enter a vaid affiliation.
Enter comments (At leaset 10 words)
CAPTCHA Image
Enter Security Code Correctly.

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 18 October 2026