The Birth of TragedyAmong the most influential philosophers of modern times, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) declared in this classic study that Greek tragedy achieved greatness through a fusion of elements of Apollonian restraint and control with Dionysian components of passion and the irrational. In Nietzsche's eyes, however, Greek tragedy had been destroyed by the rationalism and optimism of thinkers like Socrates. Nevertheless, he found in these ancient works the life-affirming concept that existence is still beautiful, however grim and depressing it may sometimes be. These and many other ideas are argued with passionate conviction in this challenging book, called by British classicist F. M. Cornford "a work of profound imaginative insight, which left the scholarship of a generation toiling in the rear." |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
according Æschylean Æschylus antithesis Apollo Apollonian and Dionysian Apollonian art appearance Archilochus Aristophanes artistic attained beauty behold character concept contemplation culture degeneration deity desire deus ex machina Dionysian music Dionysian wisdom Dionysus dithyramb divine drama dreams ecstasy Edipus effect entire epic essence esthetic eternal Euripides excitement existence expression eyes feeling folk-song genius Greek cheerfulness Greek tragedy hand heart Hellenic hero highest Homer ideal illusion imagine imitate music imitation impulse individual innermost instinct knowledge lyric lyric poetry lyrist melody merely metaphysical comfort mysterious mythical naïve nature Olympian once opera origin ourselves passions perception phenomena phenomenon picture Plato poet poetry primitive primordial Prometheus reality rebirth of tragedy relation revealed Richard Wagner satyr chorus scene Schopenhauer sense Socrates Sophocles speak spectator sphere stage sublime suffering symbolic tendency terrible things tion Titans tragic art tragic chorus tragic hero tragic myth transfiguring true truth universal vision