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Also sprach Zarathustra

Also sprach Zarathustra — the book by which Nietzsche has especial claim to a place in literary history as one of the more original prose work of its time. The Persian prophet Zoroaster or Zarathustra, serves as a mouthpiece tor the thinker's own philosophy, and this Zarathustra seeks refuge "from the eternal recurrence of things— "Die Wiederkunft des Gleichen" — in the doctrine of a higher manhood than the world had yet-known. Also sprach Zarathustra stands on the boundary between philosphy and poetry; it may or may not be what its author once proclaimed it, the "deepest" work of its time, but, from an artistic point of view, it is a wonderfully beautiful book; the fulness of its thought and its grandiose Biblical language make it one of the master-works of modern literature. The whole of "Zarathustra" was published in 1892.

Nietzsche's Zarathustra is by no means the historical or legendary Zoroaster, mage, leader, warrior, king. Nietzsche had made some studies in oriental religious literature, which Professor Max Muller's Sacred Books of the East had brought within the reach of educated Europe. Yet he either neglected Persian religious tradition or purposely in his prose-poem made no use of any knowledge he possessed in that field. Though attracted by the solemn sound of the name, which in a high degree pleased his musical ear, he declined to describe the life of his hero after the model of the Gathas.

Thus Spake Zarathustra is without doubt the strangest product of modern German literature; and that says a good deal. If it is to be compared with other works of World Literature, perhaps it is nearest the Three Baskets of Buddhism, the Tripitaka. It has the same elevated prose style as that sacred book of the East, in narrating a comparatively simple story, full of parables and sayings of wisdom; it has the same solemn, longdrawn-out method of relating; it has the same fantastic way of looking at the world and life; while in the idea of eternal recurrence, called by Nietzsche the genuine Zarathustra thought, it rather approaches Brahmanism than Buddhism.

The creed contained in Thus Spake Zarathustra is a kind of summary of the intellectual life of the nineteenth century, and it is on this fact that its principal significance rests. It unites in itself a number of mental movements which, in literature as well as in various sciences, had made themselves felt separately during the past hundred years, without going far beyond them. By bringing them into contact, although not always into uncontradictory relation, Nietzsche transfers them from mere existence in philosophy, or scientific literature in general, into the sphere of the creed or Weltanschauung of the educated classes, and thus his book becomes capable of influencing the views and strivings of a whole age. His immense rhetorical power and rhapsodic gift give them a stress they scarcely possessed before. His enthusiasm and energy of thought animate them, and his lyrical talent transforms them into "true poetry" for the believers in them.

The Zarathustra of Nietzsche is Nietzsche himself, with his views on life and death. Nietsche felt very much fettered by the ideas of good and evil generally held by the bourgeoisie and the Philistines, whose aim and task it la to preserve appearances. The social meaning of that book might be summed up in the proposition that man ought to be true to himself, for the worst slavery is his enthralment in the net of lies of ordinary life. It would be mistaken to thinks that Nietsche's "Uebermensch" is a man remarkable for physical strength or strong will, or a very keen mind. The "Uebermensch" is one who knows no fear of life, and acts always as his own nature dictates. He does not lie to himself; he is simple and bold.

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was born at Rocken, October 15, 1844. He was educated at Schulpforte and at the Universities of Bonn and Leipsic, In 1869 he was appointed to a professorship of classical philology at the University of Basel. In consequence of an eye and brain trouble he obtained sick leave in 1876, and in 1879 he was pensioned. He spent ten years thereafter at health resorts, and, as he said, each year contained for him two hundred days of pure pain. In 1888 he became hopelessly insane, and he died August 25, 1900, at Weimar. At first, a wild-eyed partisan of Wagner, later he assailed Wagner bitterly.

The full title of the Symphonic Poem, "thus Spake Zarathustra," Op. 30. by Richard Strauss is "Also sprach Zarathustra, Tondichtung (frei nach Friedr. Nietzsche) fur grosses Orchester." Composition was begun at Munich, February 4. 1896, and completed there August 24, 1896. The first performance was at Frankfort-on-theMain, November 27 of the same year. Strauss gave this explanation : "I did not intend to write philosophical music or to portray in music Nietzsche's great work. I meant to convey by means of music an idea of the development of the human race from its origin, through the various phases of its development, religious and scientific, up to Nietzsche's idea of the Superman."

On a fly-leaf of a score is printed the following excerpt from Nietzsche's book, the first section of "Zarathustra's Introductory Speech":— "Having attained the age of thirty, Zarathustra left his home and the lake of his home and went into the mountains. There he rejoiced in his spirit and his loneliness, and for ten years did not grow weary of it. But at last his heart turned— one morning he got up with the dawn, stepped into the presence of the Sun and thus spake unto him: 'Thou great star! What would be thy happiness, were it not for those for whom thou shinest?" There is a simple but impressive introduction, in which there is a solemn trumpet motive, which leads to a great climax for full orchestra and organ on the chord of C major.

Also sprach Zarathustra opens Stanley Kubrick's movie "2001" in which the human astronaut Dave Bowman is ultimately transformed into the Übermensch "starchild". One of Kubrick's greatest talents was his unrivaled ability to perfectly? synchronize music with the visual experience of his movies. The timing, the tone, the mood, the pace and the motion are in a marvelous harmony.