The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Czech language: Nesnesitelná lehkost bytí) is a novel written by Milan Kundera in 1984. Set in 1968 Prague, the novel deals heavily with philosophical concepts. The novel depicts life for artists and intellectuals in Czechoslovakia after the USSR invaded the country following the Prague Spring. The story's main character is Tomas, a famous surgeon, who criticizes the Czech Communists and as a result loses his position. Other imporant characters are his wife, Teresa (photographer), his lover Sabina (painter), and Sabina's lover Franz (university professor).

Related Topics:
Czech language - Novel - Milan Kundera - 1984 - 1968 - Prague - Philosophical - Czechoslovakia - USSR - Prague Spring

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So what is the "unbearable lightness of being" anyway? It is the realisation that one cannot know the right from wrong path in life - it's just impossible. Therefore, there is no wrong path and because of this, one is necessarily absolved of mistakes. In German they say it quite succinctly: "Einmal ist Keinmal" ("once is never", ie, "what happened once might as well have never happened at all").

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A paperback edition was reprinted in New York by Perennial in 1999 with ISBN 0060932139.

Related Topics:
Paperback - New York - Perennial - 1999

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In 1988, a British-made film came out based on the novel. Directed by Philip Kaufman, it starred Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, and Lena Olin and was moderately successful in North America and much more successful in Europe. It should be noted that Kundera considers his novels as not ideal for being turned into movies; in his opinion the novels would lose their essential qualities in the process, leaving only the accessory stories to produce any intrigue.

Related Topics:
1988 - British - Philip Kaufman - Daniel Day-Lewis - Juliette Binoche - Lena Olin - North America - Europe

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Tagline: A Lovers Story.

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