Zarathustra was initially received with indifference at best and frustration at worst. Each of its four parts was written in a ten-day period of creative effervescence followed by months of gloom, plagued by terrible, debilitating migraines.

It was a decade of solitude: his physical condition had worsened to the point of forcing him to retire from his position at the University of Basel, and each change of season prompted him to relocate to kinder climes in Switzerland, France, or Italy. The inspiration for Zarathustra came to Nietzsche during one of the long hikes he often indulged in despite his failing health. His greatest challenge, though, comes when he faces the existential test of the eternal recurrence of the same: the thought that our lives could repeat indefinitely without the minutest of change. While already wiser than most, Zarathustra still learns from those he talks to, re-evaluating his thoughts as he deals with disappointment (such as when his disciples prove to be mere followers), and confronting his own doubts. The bulk of the book is Zarathustraâs speeches on topics such as morality, society, individualism, religion, and how suffering and its overcoming are what give meaning to our existence. Zarathustra then decides to gather a small group of disciples and share his wisdom with them. But the crowd doesnât understand him his discourse is met only with rude ignorance. He tells them of the Overman: the next step in human evolution, a being who creates their own values, freed from the weight of tradition and morality, and who takes responsibility for their own successes and failures. He reaches the nearest town and addresses the crowd on the marketplace. Yet some scholars dislike it because of its unphilosophical nature: it eschews jargon and the scaffolding of arguments, which engage only the intellect, in favor of an artistic approach that engages the whole mind.Īfter ten years of solitude in a cave high in the mountains, Zarathustra wishes to share with humanity the wisdom he has accumulated during this time. Thus Spake Zarathustra was Friedrich Nietzscheâs favorite of the books he wrote, and has been his most popular amongst general readers. Will you support our efforts with a donation? We rely on your support to help us keep producing beautiful, free, and unrestricted editions of literature for the digital age. Thus Spake Zarathustra Friedrich Nietzscheĩ1,242 words (5 hours 32 minutes) with a reading ease of 72.36 (fairly easy)

Translated by Thomas Common - Free ebook download - Standard Ebooks: Free and liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover. Thus Spake Zarathustra, by Friedrich Nietzsche.

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