Susan Sontag

Susan Sontag (January 16, 1933 – December 28, 2004) was an American writer, filmmaker, philosopher, and teacher. She became widely known for her essays on modern culture and her influential works on photography, illness, and the role of the intellectual in society.

Early Life and Education

Susan Sontag was born in New York City to Jack Rosenblatt and Mildred Jacobsen. Her father was a fur trader in China, and her mother was a teacher. After her father's death, her mother remarried, and Susan took the surname of her stepfather, Nathan Sontag.

Sontag showed an early interest in literature and philosophy. She attended the University of California, Berkeley for a year before transferring to the University of Chicago, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy at the age of 18. She continued her studies at Harvard University, where she earned a Master of Arts in philosophy and began work on a Ph.D. in literature.

Career

Sontag's career as a writer began in earnest in the 1960s. Her first major work, Against Interpretation, was published in 1966. This collection of essays established her as a leading voice in cultural criticism. In it, she argued against the reduction of art to its content and advocated for an "erotics of art."

On Photography

One of Sontag's most influential works is On Photography (1977), a collection of essays that explore the role of photography in modern society. Sontag examines how photography shapes our perception of reality and discusses the ethical implications of viewing suffering through photographs.

Illness as Metaphor

In Illness as Metaphor (1978), Sontag explores the metaphors and myths surrounding illness, particularly cancer and tuberculosis. She argues that these metaphors can stigmatize patients and obscure the reality of the diseases. This work was followed by AIDS and Its Metaphors (1989), which extended her analysis to the AIDS epidemic.

Later Works

Sontag continued to write and publish throughout her life. Her later works include novels such as The Volcano Lover (1992) and In America (1999), which won the National Book Award. She also directed films and wrote plays, demonstrating her versatility as an artist.

Personal Life

Sontag was known for her intellectual rigor and her passionate engagement with the world. She was openly bisexual and had relationships with both men and women, including a long-term partnership with photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Legacy

Susan Sontag's work continues to influence writers, artists, and thinkers. Her essays remain a touchstone for discussions on art, culture, and politics. Sontag's ability to engage with complex ideas and communicate them to a broad audience has cemented her place as one of the most important intellectuals of the 20th century.

Also see

• Roland Barthes
• Walter Benjamin
• Cultural criticism
• Photography
• Philosophy of art