May 21, 2026,   15:15–15:45

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Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea and Jazz: An Approach from Aesthetics 

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In this presentation, I analyze Jean-Paul Sartre’s seminal novel Nausea from the perspective of aesthetics as a philosophical discipline, focusing on the role of music in the novel, and especially on the role that the so-called “jazz tune” — “Some of These Days” — plays in its central narrative. Antoine Roquentin’s listening to the song functions both as a form of relief from his nauseous states and as an inspiration for artistic creation — namely, for writing a novel through which he hopes to give his existence a sense of purpose and fulfilment.

There are numerous approaches to Sartre’s Nausea, ranging from philosophical interpretations to those more closely associated with literary studies. Theoretical interpretations of the novel include reflections on its existentialist implications, as well as analyses stressing the social and political issues addressed in the text. However, in this presentation, I propose a different approach, relying primarily on Sartre’s aesthetic thought as developed in the final chapter of The Imaginary: A Phenomenological Psychology of the Imagination. In addition to offering an explanation of the “irreal” nature of the work of art, I argue that this aesthetic perspective helps bridge philosophical, existentialist, and socio-political interpretations of Nausea.

After addressing several of Sartre’s philosophical ideas that I consider crucial for understanding Roquentin’s struggles — including the very concept of nausea itself — I develop the argument through three interconnected questions concerning the role of art in the novel: Why art? Why music? And why jazz in particular?

Keywords: jazz, music, aesthetics, Jean-Paul Sartre, Nausea, Imaginary, Some of These Days

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