This erudite, well-written book argues that the myth of Sisyphus functions as "a prominent framing text for Renaissance theories of human perfectibility" (20). As punishment for exposing the secrets of the gods, Sisyphus is condemned for all eternity to push a rock up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and then to begin the process anew. For Simon this represents the perils of human life, where nothing is ever resolved and one is forced to focus on process rather than results or personal achievement: "The myth of Sisyphus is the most poignant illustration of the quest for perfectibility set against the monstrous frustrations of existence" (13). Sisyphus's willingness to continue the futile acts of climbing and pushing speaks to the heroic, indefatigable nature of human being, who can only emulate the gods in his stubborn will and defiance of power.
Simon first traces, historically, the evolution of the myth of Sisyphus until it reaches archetypal status, becoming one of the signature stories of race, a story that celebrates the indomitable human spirit: "Despite the frustration of his aspirations, Sisyphus maintains his faith in the potentiality of his intellectual and physical perfectibility (39).
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