Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None

The voice and actions of Zarathustra drive the plot of the novel. As the central figure, he also serves perhaps as a mouthpiece for Nietzsche. While Zarathustra may not be the literary equivalent of Nietzsche, his character promotes philosophical arguments found in other texts by Nietzsche. Most notably, Nietzsche’s famous phrase “God is dead.” Nietzsche juxtaposes Jesus and Zarathustra, situating Zarathustra as a critic of Christianity. Unlike Jesus, Zarathustra feels no pity towards mankind and blesses “the cup that wants to flow over” (3). Zarathustra’s philosophy is based on a love of mankind instead of a preoccupation with the afterlife. Nietzsche’s philosophy is characterized by body centricity and a rethinking of traditional values. Zarathustra echoes these beliefs when he chooses not to act as a shepherd or as a gravedigger. Instead, he wants to extract individuals from the herd and teach humankind how to overcome man in this world.

Zarathustra uses parables to teach the overman to his followers. In these parables, he questions traditional ways of thinking and value systems. Zarathustra strives to liberate man from the judgment and contempt that has become prevalent in society. He urges his listeners to challenge the “Thou Shalts,” or the predetermined values of the state. Zarathustra loves the creator who annihilates both the good and the evil, esteeming their own morals and thus overcoming themselves. If one acts in the way Zarathustra instructs, then one will become a bridge for the overman. Zarathustra is best described as a lover of mankind, who preaches the wonders of this world and the importance of living in the present moment.

Nietzsche was an existentialist philosopher who enjoyed writing poetry and works of fiction. He is known for critiquing dominant notions of truth and religion and is remembered for his concepts of will to truth and will to power. Nietzsche exposes humanity’s natural inclination towards knowledge, which has been reduced to utility in modern times, and to power, in his reworking of the master-slave dialectic posited by Hegel. The will to power does not depend on competing notions of desire but competing wills expressed by subjects. Nietzsche would go on to greatly influence Western philosophy for centuries to come.