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Book Description
A compelling argument for the necessity for art in life, Nietzsche's first book is fuelled by his enthusiasms for Greek tragedy, for the philosophy of Schopenhauer and for the music of Wagner, to whom this work was dedicated. Nietzsche outlined a distinction between its two central forces: the Apolline, representing beauty and order, and the Dionysiac, a primal or ecstatic reaction to the sublime. He believed the combination of these states produced the highest forms of music and tragic drama, which not only reveal the truth about suffering in life, but also provide a consolation for it. Impassioned and exhilarating in its conviction, "The Birth of Tragedy" has become a key text in European culture and in literary criticism.
About the Author
Friedrich Nietzsche was born near Leipzig in 1844, the son of a Lutheran clergyman. At 24 he was appointed to the chair of classical philology at Basle University, where he stayed until forced by his health to retire in 1879. Here, he wrote all his literature, including Thus Spake Zarathustra, and developed his idea of the Superman. He became insane in 1889 and remained so until his death in 1900. Shaun Whiteside has translated widely from French, German and Italian. Michael Tanner is a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He is particularly interested in Wagner and Nietzsche.
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Whatever it was that prompted this questionable book, it must have been a most important and attractive question, and a deeply personal one. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Whatever it was that prompted this questionable book, it must have been a most important and attractive question, and a deeply personal one. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Dialectic model of Art,
By
This review is from: Penguin Classics Birth Of Tragedy (Paperback)
Since the only other review is fairly obtuse about this book, it seems necessary to write another. If you consider yourself a creative entity, an artist, a musician, a filmmaker, a writer; then this book should be required reading. It describes two opposing "forces", Apollo and Dionysus, who are in perpetual conflict. From this conflict, all great art is born.It is a dialectic, Thesis meets Antithesis to beget Synthesis. The real point is though, after reading the book, you look for these opposing forces in everyday life and find them everywhere. Man and woman, religion and science, good and evil (for rudimentary examples). After reading the book it was apparent how much of this world is constructed out of, and centered on, opposition. It's like Matt Modine's helmet in Full Metal Jacket, man is a creature with inherent duality. The Birth of Tragedy touches on something so essential and instinctually true to our existence that it can only vaguely be explained in words. Nietszche knows this and presents the concept as eloquently and clearly as it allows. It is up to the reader to take this knowledge as a starting point and explore deeper into their own individual experience and perspective.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Knowledge through tragedy,
By A Customer
This review is from: Penguin Classics Birth Of Tragedy (Paperback)
Any westerner (occidental man),will tell you if asked that knowledge must contain reason in order to qualify as such.Science will testify to that.Shall it be added that dialectic consists of the method to achieve this conclusive perfection.Presocratic thinkers were on a different track.The chaotic and fulgurent rythms of the Dyonisan asiatic music merge with the stern powerful measured,proportionated art of the Appolonian god gave their true followers inspired knowledge.Try it and you will know.Let fear have no part in it.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews) 31 of 38 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Dialectic model of Art,
By Chris Coulter "dionysiac" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Penguin Classics Birth Of Tragedy (Paperback)
Since the only other review is fairly obtuse about this book, it seems necessary to write another. If you consider yourself a creative entity, an artist, a musician, a filmmaker, a writer; then this book should be required reading. It describes two opposing "forces", Apollo and Dionysus, who are in perpetual conflict. From this conflict, all great art is born.It is a dialectic, Thesis meets Antithesis to beget Synthesis. The real point is though, after reading the book, you look for these opposing forces in everyday life and find them everywhere. Man and woman, religion and science, good and evil (for rudimentary examples). After reading the book it was apparent how much of this world is constructed out of, and centered on, opposition. It's like Matt Modine's helmet in Full Metal Jacket, man is a creature with inherent duality. The Birth of Tragedy touches on something so essential and instinctually true to our existence that it can only vaguely be explained in words. Nietszche knows this and presents the concept as eloquently and clearly as it allows. It is up to the reader to take this knowledge as a starting point and explore deeper into their own individual experience and perspective. 4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
The celebration of Irrational Energy,
By Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Penguin Classics Birth Of Tragedy (Paperback)
Prior to Nietzsche the Greeks had been celebrated for their great calm and rationality. Nietzsche pointed to the irrational,passionate , energetic elements, the Dionysian force which contended with life and death as central element of the Greek Reality. The 'Birth of Tragedy (1872) is his first book but already present are his tremendous power to shock, his aphoristic brilliance, his effort to ' turn the tables' and break the mold of our ordinary thinking.He himself says in describing the Birth of Tragedy" connects us with that which counters the Periclean desire for the beautiful and the good. He sees a desire preceding the desire for the good and the beautiful, " namely, the desire for the ugly or the good strong willing of the ancient Hellenes for pessimism, for tragic myth, for pictures of everything fearful, angry, enigmatic, destructive, and fateful as the basis of existence? Where must tragedy come from? Perhaps out of desire, out of power, out of overflowing health, out of overwhelming fullness of life?" In his enthusiasm Nietzsche condemns the Socratic caution which will come afterwards,and which he claims will come to dominate the thought of the Christian West. 2 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
On the basis of his translation of R. Musil's "Young Torless",
By Alaric - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Penguin Classics Birth Of Tragedy (Paperback)
I plan on acquiring this edition, and unconditionally recommend this translation of FN given his performance on the novel mentioned.
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