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Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Rethinking Morality
The Superman and the Will to Power
Death of God and Christianity
Eternal Recurrence
Summary
Analysis
1. Zarathustra sits among “old shattered law-tables” and “new, half-written law-tables.” He wants to descend to humanity once more, but he must wait for the right time. In the meantime, he talks to himself.
This chapter is one of the most important in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, as it sums up many of the key points that have been introduced in the work so far. Here, Zarathustra is again trying to formulate a new value system (“new, half-written law-tables”) than can replace traditional ones (“old shattered-law-tables”), which he believes are irrelevant in the modern day.
Themes
2. When Zarathustra visited humanity, each person thought he already knew what was good and evil for everyone. Zarathustra disturbed humanity by teaching that nobody yet knows what is good or evil, unless it is the creator. The creator creates a goal for humanity, thereby giving the earth its meaning and future. He told people to laugh at the old masters of virtue. Often, Zarathustra’s wisdom enraptured him and gave him a vision of the future, to an unrestrained world that repeated endlessly.
Zarathustra’s proclamation of the Superman and the superior morality he creates is incomprehensible to the ordinary, mediocre person. However, this vision is the meaning and destiny of humanity. That destiny also includes the Eternal Recurrence, or the infinite repetition of all things.
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3. In this envisioned future, Zarathustra saw the Superman and learned that humanity has to be overcome—it’s a bridge to the goal, not the goal itself. Based on this, Zarathustra has taught the great noontide, and his goal of bringing together all chance in order to create the future—and also to redeem the past by creating it. Redeeming humanity’s past means to “transform every ‘It was’” into “I willed it thus.” Now, Zarathustra awaits his own redemption—his last going-down to humanity.
Zarathustra revisits his teaching on redemption. It is based on the idea of the Superman and the gathering of all possible futures within the creative will to power—which is then exercised not only toward the future, but toward a reinterpretation of all things in the past. This reinterpretation accepts all things as an expression of the human will, not as predetermined or divinely willed into existence.
Themes
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(4) Zarathustra’s love commands distant humanity, “Do not spare your neighbour!” One must overcome oneself even in one’s neighbor, seizing for oneself what one can’t accept as a gift. (5) The noble soul doesn’t want anything for free—that’s what the masses want. The noble, in contrast, are always considering what they can give in return.
Zarathustra revisits his notion of altruism. One aspect of humanity’s self-overcoming is in reaching toward the future, not being satisfied to help neighbors. The noble individual, because of the will to power, overflows with benefits for humanity.
Themes
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(6) The first-born has always been sacrificed. “The old idol-priest” still lives on within the noble. Zarathustra loves those who don’t wish to spare themselves and are willing to perish. (7) Few can be truthful. “Good” men never tell the truth; they do not even listen to themselves. Everything the good call evil must be brought together in order that a truth may be born; the old law-tables must be shattered.
Zarathustra revisits the idea of how the higher individual suffers at the hands of ordinary people. He alludes to the Bible’s sacrificial system (in which God commands firstborn livestock to be sacrificed), saying that the noble willingly sacrifice themselves in their pursuit of truth. He also alludes to the Old Testament law-tables (and all comparable moral systems), which he believes must be destroyed and replaced with the will to power as the guiding principle of humanity.
Themes
8. Though people who live sheltered lives believe that everything is fixed, the “thawing wind” teaches that everything is constantly changing. When people realize this, nobody can continue to cling to good and evil.
According to Nietzsche, even concepts of good and evil are not fixed. Life is like a stream that appears to be fixed when frozen, yet when the thaw comes and the ice melts, it becomes clear that life is actually a wild, rushing stream that can engulf everything in its path.
Themes
9. Good and evil is a delusion that was once taught by prophets and astrologers and therefore believed. When people came to mistrust prophets and astrologers, they began to believe in freedom.
Prophets and astrologers stand for all teachers of traditional morality. Zarathustra suggests that, in the modern day, people increasingly suspect that such teachers are false.
Themes
10. People once believed such commandments as “You shall not steal!” You shall not kill!” However, such teachings created thieves and killers. Calling these teachings “holy” killed truth; it was a “sermon of death” in opposition to life. The old law-tables must be shattered.
Zarathustra boldly rejects the traditional moral order—the real key to life is not the old law-tables, but the will to power. The will to power includes exploiting and oppressing others—actions that seem evil from the short-sighted, unenlightened perspective of the weak.
Themes
(11) Zarathustra pities the mob because they don’t remember any wisdom beyond their grandfathers’ generation. A “new nobility” is needed that opposes mob rule—therefore, many noblemen are needed. (12) The new nobility will shape the future; their nobility is based in where they are going, not where they are from. This nobility will gaze outward, loving their offspring’s land and redeeming the past according to a new law-table.
Zarathustra reviews the idea of the emergence of a select race of people, or “nobility.” There are overtones here of the emerging science surrounding the theory of evolution at the time Nietzsche wrote the novel (the late 19th century). These superior people, according to Zarathustra, will oppose the masses. They will be distinguished not by their bloodlines but by the creation of new values and commitment to the Superman.
Themes
13. Old wisdom is childish and shrinks from life, calling it “vanity.” But feasting well is an art. The law-tables of people who decry joy must be shattered.
“Vanity” recalls the pessimistic view of life that Nietzsche learned from Schopenhauer and later rejected. New wisdom, in contrast, embraces feasting and joy.
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(14) Those who preach an afterlife see the world as filthy and needing to be overcome. (15) The “afterworldsmen” teach that the world should berenounced. Their lies must be rejected. (16) Even new law-tables must be shattered, like the one rejecting desire. The preachers of death have hung up this table; it is “a sermon urging slavery.” Preachers of death do not understand how to delight. Willing, which is creating, liberates. In order to create, one must learn from Zarathustra. (17) The world-weary must pass away, but doing this requires courage.
Zarathustra summarizes his views on the rejection of the afterlife and of those who uphold the afterlife and associated morals. The heart of his objection is that “afterworldsmen” don’t embrace the world, and their teachings enslave people. Zarathustra believes that he can liberate those who are able to become creators like himself—though not everyone has the courage to embrace the world and become like him.
Themes
(18) There are law-tables that have been made out of weariness and laziness. Sometimes, the lazy lie down inches from their goal. The “cultured” vermin must be scared away from them. (19) Zarathustra journeys over ever higher and holier mountains. He warns his followers to make sure that no parasite builds a nest in their weariness and grief; the highest souls possess the worst parasites. (20) Those who are not taught to fly must be encouraged to fall faster.
Zarathustra still talks about a pessimistic view of life; however, he is talking about the pessimism to which a heroic person is susceptible. Because the superior individual is continually challenged by the masses (“vermin”), that person can become weary and lazy. This is different from the person who never embraces life at all.
Themes
(21) The brave must not only be swordsmen; they must learn who their opponents are. It’s also brave to know whom to pass by in favor of worthier enemies. (22) Man is the finest “beast of prey”; only the birds are beyond him. (23) Man should be fit for war and women for childbearing, but both should be fit for dancing. (24) Marriage should be contracted for the sake of the future and the Superman, not just for the sake of propagation.
An antagonistic attitude runs through Nietzsche’s writings, which contrasts with the desire for peace and comfort that Nietzsche believed was characteristic of modern people. Superior people must be ready to fight (but not against just anyone) in order to seek a better kind of life. Generally, women play an inferior role to men in that quest, albeit a necessary one.
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(25) An earthquake will cause new springs to rush from ancient things. Many “experimenters” will gather around the springs, ready to search for the commander of a new society. (26) The “good and just” are the most dangerous for the human future. They think they already know what is good, so they condemn those who are still searching for it. They hate the lawbreaker, the creator, most of all. By crucifying the creator, they sacrifice the future to themselves. (27) The good and just must be shattered.
These points restate Zarathustra’s view of the coming new society, which will be imagined and led by higher individuals. The self-righteous moral leaders of society will oppose these new leaders, seeing them as a threat, but in persecuting them, the “good and just” undermine humanity’s future. Therefore, they must be fought.
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(28) Zarathustra’s brothers must sail bravely into the human future amid the storms of their longing. (29) Creators must be hard. They must find it blissful to influence the future of humanity. (30) Zarathustra calls upon his will to be inexorable and ready for the great noontide, ready to be annihilated in the course of victory.
Nietzsche didn’t take the work of destroying old values and creating new ones lightly. It was dangerous work that required great courage and fortitude, even self-sacrifice. That’s why Zarathustra is adamant that only a few superior people are suited for it.
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