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Thus Spake Zarathustra is an important philosophical text by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. In it he begins his exploration of morality, questioning the assumption of Christianity or Judaism as a basis for morality. He wrote about the "death of God" and the "Übermensch" (superhuman) who would have supreme morality. Ironically, Nietzsche mimics the style of the Bible, fictionalizing Zarathustra as his protagonist.
galacticus: Deussen was a lifelong friend of Nietzsche. They were students at Gymnasium; both earned Philology degrees; both became professors; but more importantly, both were students of Schopenhauer.
Funny story... about 25 years ago, on a quiet afternoon in the hospital facility at which I worked in the laboratory, there were several of us hanging around the ER station (no patients were there at the time) conversing and having a general 'good' time discussing all manner of topics. At one point one of the nurses, to emphasize something she'd just said, put her hand up with index finger extended and with a flourish stated "I have thus spoken!". After a few silent seconds I calmly replied "Also Sprach Zarathustra". Everyone was silent again, followed by several persons saying "What?" and "What did you say?"... The doctor there that afternoon looked around at the company, looked over at me and stated "They'll understand... in about the year 2001." I looked at him, nodded my head slowly in his direction, and replied "Well played, sir. Well played", smiled, and turned and walked out of the room.
Anyway, having known that Richard Strauss's orchestral composition by that name, and that it was the overarching theme music used in Kubrick's movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" is probably not general knowledge, but both myself and the doctor that afternoon knew, and it was a good joke to have play out.
This was the first time that I've read this work by Nietzche. I've read excerpts from others, but never this full 'prose poem' (if that is what it is...). I will agree with several of the commenters here on Goodreads... it's like the story of Jesus, but cooler.
It's something that needed to be read, to further my self-imposed, self-set, endeavor to liberally increase my breadth of literary and social knowledge. It was my time to read it. ( )
Contains a fair amount of quotable wisdom, but in general the story was not memorable. It often says a lot without saying anything at all, or I'm just not smart/insane enough to read through the poetic obfuscation. Hitler, however—if he did in fact read Thus Spoke Zarathustra*—it is easy to see which parts he got inspiration and justification from.
If there are any persons who contest a received opinion...let us thank them for it, open our minds to listen to them, and rejoice that there is someone to do for us what we otherwise ought, if we have any regard for either the certainty or the vitality of our convictions, to do with much greater labor for ourselves. — John Stuart Mill, On Liberty
Dedication
First words
When Zarathustra was thirty years old he left his home and the lake and went into the mountains.
Quotations
But thus do I counsel you, my friends: distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful!
"When the truth has triumphed for once, he has asked what great lie has fought for it."
Last words
Thus spoke Zarathustra, and he left his cave, glowing and strong as a morning sun that comes out of dark mountains.
Thus Spake Zarathustra is an important philosophical text by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. In it he begins his exploration of morality, questioning the assumption of Christianity or Judaism as a basis for morality. He wrote about the "death of God" and the "Übermensch" (superhuman) who would have supreme morality. Ironically, Nietzsche mimics the style of the Bible, fictionalizing Zarathustra as his protagonist.
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Book description
Zarathustra è un mito grandioso, in cui Nietzsche proietta, in un continuo alternarsi di allegoria e realtà , tutto il suo mondo interiore. La visione dell’uomo che emerge da queste pagine è del tutto inconsueta e rivoluzionaria: la razionalità cessa di essere l’unico criterio valido della conoscenza, l’arte non coincide più con l’ideale della purezza formale e la morale sfugge agli schemi borghesi. Zarathustra è l’uomo rappresentato come confine, la persona che sta dietro la passione e la musica delle parole. Una persona nata da Nietzsche stesso, ancor più nascosto dietro la sua opera, nelle pieghe di una scrittura che è anche una maschera, una forma di seduzione nella quale i pensieri scorrono in figure danzanti e la verità si dissolve in verità molteplici. (piopas)
Haiku summary
Man's a bridge between Animal and superman. I've a big moustache.
(Carnophile)
God is dead. Now what? Check out related volumes. Like this one, and this.
(Carnophile)
Legacy Library: Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche has a Legacy Library. Legacy libraries are the personal libraries of famous readers, entered by LibraryThing members from the Legacy Libraries group.
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Anyway, having known that Richard Strauss's orchestral composition by that name, and that it was the overarching theme music used in Kubrick's movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" is probably not general knowledge, but both myself and the doctor that afternoon knew, and it was a good joke to have play out.
This was the first time that I've read this work by Nietzche. I've read excerpts from others, but never this full 'prose poem' (if that is what it is...).
I will agree with several of the commenters here on Goodreads... it's like the story of Jesus, but cooler.
It's something that needed to be read, to further my self-imposed, self-set, endeavor to liberally increase my breadth of literary and social knowledge.
It was my time to read it. (