Philosophy

Prof. Evans

Dec. 16, 1998

Paper Assignment: Topic #3

Nietzsche is known as a philosopher who was very poetic in his writings. He used a real Persian prophet named Zarathustra, as his character within his philosophy. The way Plato used Socrates, Nietzsche used Zarathustra’s mouth to speak his philosophy. An example, how Nietzsche uses Zarathustra in his book is in the chapter entitled " On the Tree on the Mountain." Within this chapter, the story represents certain aspects that are important to Zarathustra (Nietzsche).

The chapter begins, with Zarathustra noticing that a youth was avoiding him, but later encounters him in the mountains. The chapter further continues, with the fact that Zarathustra finally speaks to the youth and asks him why he is afraid. Zarathustra continues talking to the youth by telling him a parable about a tree that is waiting for something on the mountainside. The youth tries to confine with Zarathustra, and Zarathustra advises him to not give up his hope and freedom in life.

This chapter clearly relates to the notion of the overman. In Zarathustra’s Prologue, when Zarathustra speaks to a crowd of people in a town who are waiting for a tightrope performance. He speaks to the people of the overman as the meaning of the earth. Zarathustra quotes," Let your will say: the overman shall be the meaning of the earth!" Therefore, in this chapter of " On the Tree on the Mountainside " Zarathustra compares a tree waiting something from the earth because he speaks about how the tree keeps growing from the earth taller and taller each day. He also states that surely the tree is waiting for the first lighting, which signfly as waiting for the overman by giving your whole self.

Zarathustra also stated how he beseeched his brothers and sisters to remain faithful to the earth, and to not believe those who speak of otherworldly hopes. In other words he is saying that the most dreadful thing is to go against the overman which then doesn’t make meaning of the earth. So in essence the youth represents those individuals who are at the break of being missed lead into a false dead God. Therefore, the tree also represents those individuals who are waiting for that special unfalsed God ,but they didn’t know what it was. Zarathustra advised the youth no matter what happens he should not lose his sense of freedom and hope because if he loses his determination than he was a lost soul.

The youth also tells that Zarathustra that he is correct because he has longed and waited for something not knowing what it is. So Zarathustra’s advice means that yes we are searching for something, and our answer is in the earth, the overman. This chapter explains how Zarathustra was determined to bring the overman to everyone, and also explaining to the people that we are like the TREE who waits.

Samantha Srinivasan

Philosophy 101-01

Prof. Evans

Dec. 16, 1998

Paper Assignment: Topic #3

Nietzsche is known as a philosopher who was very poetic in his writings. He used a real Persian prophet named Zarathustra, as his character within his philosophy. The way Plato used Socrates, Nietzsche used Zarathustra’s mouth to speak his philosophy. An example, how Nietzsche uses Zarathustra in his book is in the chapter entitled " On the Tree on the Mountain." Within this chapter, the story represents certain aspects that are important to Zarathustra (Nietzsche).

The chapter begins, with Zarathustra noticing that a youth was avoiding him, but later encounters him in the mountains. The chapter further continues, with the fact that Zarathustra finally speaks to the youth and asks him why he is afraid. Zarathustra continues talking to the youth by telling him a parable about a tree that is waiting for something on the mountainside. The youth tries to confine with Zarathustra, and Zarathustra advises him to not give up his hope and freedom in life.

This chapter clearly relates to the notion of the overman. In Zarathustra’s Prologue, when Zarathustra speaks to a crowd of people in a town who are waiting for a tightrope performance. He speaks to the people of the overman as the meaning of the earth. Zarathustra quotes," Let your will say: the overman shall be the meaning of the earth!" Therefore, in this chapter of " On the Tree on the Mountainside " Zarathustra compares a tree waiting something from the earth because he speaks about how the tree keeps growing from the earth taller and taller each day. He also states that surely the tree is waiting for the first lighting, which signfly as waiting for the overman by giving your whole self.

Zarathustra also stated how he beseeched his brothers and sisters to remain faithful to the earth, and to not believe those who speak of otherworldly hopes. In other words he is saying that the most dreadful thing is to go against the overman which then doesn’t make meaning of the earth. So in essence the youth represents those individuals who are at the break of being missed lead into a false dead God. Therefore, the tree also represents those individuals who are waiting for that special unfalsed God ,but they didn’t know what it was. Zarathustra advised the youth no matter what happens he should not lose his sense of freedom and hope because if he loses his determination than he was a lost soul.

The youth also tells that Zarathustra that he is correct because he has longed and waited for something not knowing what it is. So Zarathustra’s advice means that yes we are searching for something, and our answer is in the earth, the overman. This chapter explains how Zarathustra was determined to bring the overman to everyone, and also explaining to the people that we are like the TREE who waits.