Nietzsche’s Life and Thought
Friedrich Nietzsche was born on October 15, 1844, in Röcken, a small village in the Prussian province of Saxony, now part of modern-day Germany. He was the son of Carl Ludwig Nietzsche, a Lutheran pastor, and Franziska Nietzsche. Nietzsche’s father’s death when Friedrich was just five years old, followed closely by the death of his younger brother Joseph, marked his early childhood with tragedy. These losses left a profound impact on him and shaped much of his personality and outlook on life. Raised by his mother, sister, and other female relatives, Nietzsche grew up in a household dominated by strong religious and moral values, although he would later challenge and break away from those very convictions.
Nietzsche showed exceptional academic promise early in his life. He attended the prestigious boarding school Schulpforta, where he excelled in classical studies, developing a strong foundation in Greek and Latin. This early immersion in classical literature and mythology would heavily influence his later career. Upon graduation, Nietzsche pursued higher education at the University of Bonn, initially studying theology and philology. However, he soon abandoned theology, declaring himself an atheist, and shifted his focus entirely to philology. He later transferred to the University of Leipzig, where he came under the influence of the renowned philologist Friedrich Wilhelm Ritschl. It was during this time that Nietzsche encountered the works of Arthur Schopenhauer, whose writings left a significant impression on him, as well as the music of Richard Wagner, with whom Nietzsche would later form a close but tumultuous friendship.
At the age of 24, Nietzsche was offered a professorship in philology at the University of Basel in Switzerland, an extraordinary achievement for someone so young. He took up the position without even completing his doctoral dissertation, receiving an honorary doctorate instead. During his time at Basel, Nietzsche began to solidify his reputation as a brilliant but unconventional thinker. However, his health rapidly declined due to severe migraines, poor eyesight, and other ailments, forcing him to resign from his position in 1879 after only ten years.
The intellectual context of Nietzsche’s life and work was shaped by a period of great transition and upheaval in Europe, often referred to as the late modern period. This era, spanning the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, saw dramatic changes in philosophy, science, and culture. The Enlightenment ideals of reason, progress, and humanism, which had dominated much of the previous century, were beginning to be questioned and critiqued. Philosophers such as Kant, Hegel, and Schopenhauer laid the groundwork for these critiques with their explorations of subjectivity, metaphysics, and the limits of reason. Nietzsche inherited this philosophical legacy and lived in a time deeply influenced by the rise of industrialization, scientific advancements such as Darwin’s theory of evolution, and rapid societal transformations.
Germany, in particular, was experiencing significant change during Nietzsche’s lifetime. The unification of Germany under Otto von Bismarck in 1871 formalized the creation of the German Empire, leading to increased national pride and militarization. This era, however, also brought with it intense conflicts regarding religion, culture, and politics. The decline of traditional religious authority, spurred in part by the growing acceptance of scientific advancements, contributed to what many intellectuals called a “crisis of faith.” The so-called “death of God” in a metaphorical sense, as described by many thinkers of the time, resonated deeply with the disillusionment felt by many intellectuals, including Nietzsche himself.
The philosophical climate of Nietzsche’s time was also influenced by the rise of existential and humanistic concerns. Questions about individual freedom, determinism, morality, and the purpose of human existence came to the fore as industrialization and modernization reshaped the social fabric of Europe. Many thinkers sought to confront the alienation and anxieties these changes engendered. Though Nietzsche engaged with these questions in deeply personal ways, his work reflects the broader concerns of his era. He can be seen as both a product of his time and a radical critic of its underlying assumptions.
Nietzsche spent much of his later life moving between various towns in Switzerland, Italy, and France, living in relative isolation and dedicating himself to writing. Though his works were not widely appreciated during his lifetime, he produced some of his most influential texts during these years, encompassing a range of themes and subjects. Despite his prolific output, Nietzsche struggled financially and personally, as his health continued to deteriorate.
By 1889, Nietzsche’s mental health collapsed completely. He suffered a breakdown in Turin, and many believe he had developed a form of progressive neurological disease, possibly exacerbated by tertiary syphilis. Following his collapse, Nietzsche would spend the remaining years of his life under the care of his mother and later his sister, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche. Friedrich Nietzsche passed away on August 25, 1900, in Weimar, at the age of 55.
Although largely unrecognized during his lifetime, Nietzsche’s legacy grew enormously in the years following his death. His life and work became emblematic of a certain intellectual courage, as he continuously sought to challenge orthodoxy and confront the pressing questions of his era. Nietzsche’s biography reflects the trials and tribulations of a man living in a period of change and uncertainty, navigating both personal suffering and the challenges of a rapidly evolving world. His influence on modern philosophy, literature, and art underscores his lasting importance as one of the most provocative thinkers of the 19th century.
Key Ideas in Nietzsche’s Philosophy
- Contrasting Nietzsche’s Philosophy with Utilitarianism
- Eternal Recurrence in Nietzsche’s Philosophy
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and amor fati (love of fate)
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and master-slave morality
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and perspectivism
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and ressentiment
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and the ‘Death of God’
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and the apotheosis of art and aesthetics
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and the Dionysian vs. Apollonian Distinction
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and the herd
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and the Transvaluation of Values
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and Übermensch (Overman)
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and Überwindung (Overcoming)
- Nietzsche’s Philosophy and Zarathustra
- Nihilism and Nietzsche
- Understanding Nietzsche’s Idea of the “Will to Power”