Friedrich Nietzsche

Nietzsche and the 'superman'


Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None

I’m about halfway through this book by Nietzsche, and I must say I’m finding it a rather difficult read so far. A lot of preaching going on by Zarathustra and most of what he says is fairly tricky to grasp. Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, was an ancient Iranian prophet, philosopher, and religious poet. The religion Zoroastrianism was based upon his teachings, and it is the worship of their God Ahura Mazda; the Wise God and the Lord of Wisdom. Nietzsche’s fictionalised take on Zarathustra presents ideas dealing in the death of God and the “eternal recurrence of the same”. Centrally ironic to the text is the idea that Nietzsche mimics the style of the Bible to present ideas which actually oppose the morals and traditions of Christianity and Judaism.

One of my favourite parts of the book so far is the scene in which Zarathustra comes across a tightrope walker in the marketplace. The crowd believe that Zarathustra is the ringleader, and is there to introduce the tightrope walker, and so gather around to listen as he speaks to them. Zarathustra poses the question “What have you done to overcome mankind?” and says “I teach you the Overman!” which in German is ‘Ubermensch’; translating to ‘beyond man’, or ‘superman’.

“The Overman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: The Overman shall be the meaning of the earth! I beg of you my brothers, remain true to the earth, and believe not those who speak to you of otherworldly hopes!”

I have found with the book so far is that each statement or moral taught by Zarathustra holds a whole new lesson of its own, making the text very difficult to grasp, and also making it a slow read in order to take everything in, with there being various metaphors, puns, translations etc. Nietzsche is trying to reach out to the select people that will understand what he is trying to say, as a lot of people will not be able to grasp the morals being taught here. The very first page of the book explains how Zarathustra left his home to go and live in solitude in the mountains, and did not weary of this way of living for ten years. This way of life suggests he is a 'superman'; he defies the typical norms of life and enjoys being able to do as he pleases. By placing Zarathustra in the mountains, it puts him at a higher position to everyone else, suggesting his higher power and knowledge compared with others. Even the very last line of the text "Thus spoke Zarathustra, and left his cave, glowing and strong, like a morning sun emerging from behind dark mountains." suggests that he is the light, the knowledge, the power, the 'superman'.