Has anyone read "Thus Spake Zarathustra" ?

Question

I've been really interested in Nietzsche lately and I'm wondering if its worth reading. I'm only in the 8th grade, and i'm afraid i won't understand everything, but i still want to read it.

Answer 1

Wow, that sounds really precocious. I could tell you about my own experiences with Zarathustra, but I'd rather let Nietzsche speak for himself and add that I fully agree with him:

"Among my writings my *Zarathustra* stands to my mind by itself. With that I have given mankind the greatest present that has ever been made to it so far. This book, with a voice bridging centuries, is not only the highest book there is, the book that is truly characterized by the air of the heights—the whole fact of man lies *beneath* it at a tremendous distance—, it is also the *deepest*, born out of the innermost wealth of truth, an inexhaustible well to which no pail descends without coming up again filled with gold and goodness."
[Ecce Homo, Preface.]

And this is not even the passage I was looking for: the passage where he says - and again I agree with him - that the reader is not overladen with *alien* material, but with his or her own inner riches.

"Thus *Spake* Zarathustra" (as opposed to "Thus *Spoke* Zarathustra") is the Thomas Common translation, which mimicks the language of the King James Bible, even as the German original mimicks the language of the Lutherbible. I regard that translation as a grand achievement; however, it helps if you are familiar with the language of the King James Bible, or with similar language. I cannot recommend Hollingdale's translation, though the introduction is pretty good. I discourage you from reading the Kaufmann translation as well, for various reasons. Until recently, these were the only three translations I knew of; yesterday, however, I heard of a new translation:

http://www.nietzschecircle.com/review11.html

As for the translations I know, I would rank them in this order:

1. Thomas Common's;
2. R.J. Hollingdale's;
3. Walter Kaufmann's.

However, you should be on your guard against a "revised" edition of the Common trans, which effectively neutralises its King James language. Its cover looks like this, it's a cheap edit, and should be disregarded at all costs:

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0879758619.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

I cannot recommend Zarathustra too highly, and I must say I am most curious as to what it will do for you. Please feel free to message me with any questions you may have, or any difficulties you run into. I usually read Nietzsche in German, and have read most of what he wrote - over and over. Finally, The Nietzsche Channel has online versions of all Nietzsche's works in German and English, including the Thomas Common trans. And if it is down, you may find Nietzsche's Features to be a worthy alternative:

http://www.geocities.com/thenietzschechannel
http://nietzsche.holtof.com/select.htm

EDIT:

I have just read an excerpt of the Parkes trans:

http://members3.boardhost.com/nietzsche/msg/1175056541.html

I read it with the original German on my lap and the Common trans in another window, and I still think the Common trans is the best. As I said, though, it helps if you have some affinity with the language of the King James Bible, or with similar language. As for "similar language", Wikipedia says the following:

"The King James Version has had a profound effect on English literature. The works of famous authors such as John Milton, Herman Melville, John Dryden, and William Wordsworth are deeply inspired by it."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_James_Bible

I myself do not know the King James Bible well, but I do know Milton's Paradise Lost, and the work of William Blake (which has been deeply inspired, in turn, by Milton). I have also read some Wordsworth upon a time. This is enough, for me, to appreciate the Common trans best.

Answer 2

I've read "Zarathustra," and I'd say it's a pretty heavy read for someone in the 8th grade. Give it until your last years in high school at least, when you've had a bit more experience of life (and increased your vocabulary!).

Answer 3

I have read that book, along with the Anti-Christ, but don't get caught up in the semantics of Nietzsche okay. You should try THE BOOK OF THE LAW by Aliester Crowley which reads just like almost any of the Nietzsche books.
Do you know where Zarathustra came from, he is a character dedicated to the Zoroaster.
You should pick up Twighlight of the idols by Nietzsche, but being in 8th grade that is some heavy reading, I suggest some Schopenhauer first.

Answer 4

You gotta be kidding....8th grade and you're thinking Zarathustra... Oh well, it's very funny anyway.

Enjoy!

Answer 5

Nietzsche is certainly worth reading; he was a philosopher and wrote many books. Walter Kaufmann is the best of the translators and has done many translations that have been called "brilliant, dazzling" so be sure that's the translator you have.

Thus Spake Zarathustra was written in four books the last one surfacing eight years later than the others. He was basically a loner and had no use for the usual person's life. He didn't smoke, drink, go anywhere, and was most particularly careful about what he ate. He had few, if any friends, and his ideas were mostly his own rather than ones that he had discussed at length with others. He wrote in a fashion that is hard to understand, particularly his sense of humor. You might read about him before you start the longer books he wrote. Other writing by Nietzsche might be easier to start with. I hope you enjoy his writing and good luck.

Answer 6

I think it's great that you want to read Nietzsche. He is an important existentialist philosopher, and he is also considered to be a postmodern philosopher by some.

The best way to begin reading him is with books that introduce his philosophy (you can find these almost anywhere, Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc.). There is a great book called From Socrates to Sartre, by Thelma Z. Levine, it covers different philosophers but its section on existentialism which covers Nietzsche is great.


Good luck!

Answer 7

Well I'm in 10th grade and I recently finished reading it and highly recommend it.

Answer 8

It's very good. Just make sure you get a translation by Walter Kaufman. His are the best.

Answer 9

Well, I read it in highschool and it was difficult. Read shakespeare instead.

Answer 10

Not suitable for your age.