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Ecce Homo

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"Ecce Homo, on eof the supreme masterpieces of German prose, is perhaps the strangest 'autobiography' ever written"

"In late 1888, only four weeks before his final collapse into madness, Nietzsche (1844-1900) set out to trace his development as a tragic philosopher. He examines the heroes he has identified with, struggled against, and then overcome - Schopenhauer, Wagner, Christ - he predicts the cataclysmic impact of his forthcoming revaluation of all values, and he gives final, definitive expression to his main beliefs. Throughout he employs the range of exuberant but unsettling styles descibed in Michael Tanner's Introduction, 'the high spirits, the manic self-celebrations, the parodistic orgies', which blend with a far more elegiac voice in a way 'that is uniquely moving, especially when one knows that total and permanent breakdown was imminent.'"

Isn't this what we are looking for when we go to read an autbiography? Isn't this the spirit that those who choose to write their autobiographies are interested in? Nietzsche was definitley ahead of his time in this genre of prose...take a look at Martha Stewart and Oprah....

In Ecce Homo, Nietzsche, clocked in the overt convention of the critical autobiography, lashes out at the practice of divorcing art from action. He takes aim at the reification of the linguistic world, which he believes has grown at the expense of the pre-linguistic world and his quarrel is with those who use words to mediate their experiences in the world in order to deny their own heroic capabilities.

"Saying 'Yes' to life," says Nietzsche, "is its strangest and hardest problem; the will to life rejoicing over its inexhaustibility even in the sacrifice of its highest types--that is what I call Dionysian, that is what I understood as the bridge to the psychology of the tragic poet." This Dionysian status, he goes on to say, is not gained through "thumbing through books," but by suffering through experience and rejoicing in the vitality of living.

Nietzsche also writes, "In questions of decadence I am experienced." In this he intimates his own experience of life denial through words and his imagery compares intellectual endeavors with physical conditions, e.g. digestion.

"The German spirit," he says, "is an indigestion: it does not finish with anything." Nietzsche uses the human stomach as a metaphor of the reification of the linguistic world. The stomach digests food by breaking it down into its component parts, readily recognizable to physiology but having little to do with the original product.

An orange, after all is not just vitamin C. Furthermore, says Nietzsche, what the body cannot use is rejected as waste product. When disorders of the stomach occur, the body cannot distinguish between waste and nutrient and consequently it churns endlessly, causing distress to the entire organism. Nietzsche, himself, is not embarrassed by his experience of decadence but sees it as something which has given him a special sensitivity to the "signs of ascent and decline."

For Nietzsche, the world is a chaotic place, given order only by the imposition of human will. Humans, in this way, says Nietzsche, create something out of nothing. However, in the face of the "abyss," man creates and acts as if his creation is real, in such a manner as to allow himself the vital and joyous activity of affirming the very importance of his creation. The heroic figure then moves on towards greater acts of creation using each personal, willful creation as a stepping stone, not towards an ultimate goal, but towards other projects. Nietzsche tells us to beware of the organizing "idea" which "...leads back from side roads and wrong roads...as a means towards a whole." The endless road of "becoming" is traveled by a will which is excited and invigorated by its trip, enjoying its stops along the way, but which ultimately has no other purpose but to go further and further as the journey becomes more and more exhausting.

For Nietzsche, the battle is always emphasized over the goal. It is a simple matter, he tells us, to conquer that which is already beneath you. To move beyond that which is your equal is the real test of the will. This is the essential process of "overcoming" which leads one higher and higher, eventually reaching the experience of the "tragic." As the linguistic world becomes more and more complex, its position in relation to nothingness becomes more and more precarious. This situation threatens a fall of apocalyptic proportions, for it is necessary for the tragic aesthetic that there be a certain height to the descent. For Nietzsche, rejoicing in the sacrifice of the highest types is a key element in experiencing tragedy.

"...and whoever wants to be a creator in good and evil, must first be an annihilator and break values." Creation, according to Nietzsche presupposes the willingness to destroy. The order we impose upon the world is a constraint upon us when the time to overcome occurs, and at such times, the spirit of the Ubermensch is needed in order to decimate the linguistic constructs that we have come to depend upon. For original, creative activity to be allowed, there must be nothing available to plagiarize or react against. Nietzsche refers to this resignation in the face of the void as "Russian fatalism" which occurs when the individual no longer attempts to "...accept anything at all--to cease reacting altogether."

In the end, for Nietzsche, nobility of spirit is akin to a meniscus, relying on the tension created by contrasting nothingness with creation. It can tolerate very little unequal pressure; too much and it ruptures. And aesthetically pleasing life is to be sought in that in between area inaccessible to words or to action alone. Ironically, Nietzsche's severe philosophy seems to advocate a kind of moderation. For the truly heroic figure is valued for his ability to live a life in which he moderates the need for order with the desire for creative action. Standing between empowerment and dissolution, as he must, the hero, says Nietzsche, is as deserving of "songs of praise" as is any god.

Nietzsche's literary addendum to his philosophical oeuvre is, at its root, a radically modern autobiography. Written weeks before his collapse into paralysis, these are the final reflections of cogency from this great thinker; the sections are indeed self-inflated and passionate, with titles like `Why I am So Wise,' and `Why I am So Clever,' etc. However, Nietzsche is finally dubious about his reputation and whether or not he will ever be truly understood. He insists that his name "will be associated with the memory of something tremendous," and indeed it would. His work sought to expose the power structures of old societies and to expose the moral systems of Christianity. Nietzsche's tone is eerily prophetic as he insists that "there will be wars the like of which no one has ever seen," his stylish prose rings of a bold yet hysterical urgency. However, at the foundation of Nietzsche's thought is one of the great and subtle tensions in philosophy, the idea that his negating and destroying are "conditions of saying Yes." This is the difficulty of Nietzsche, who is all too easily categorized as the "Will to Power" philosopher of the modern period. We are still catching up to his profound insight, and this self-analysis should be a window into his genius and original intentions.

Ecce Homo is a book written by a man of genius, solitude and an overwhelming insight to the times in which he lived.
In his depiction of the society that has come and past, it's striking how much the people of then are like the people of now. When he spoke of the judgement, misunderstanding and blatant disrespect based solely on an image, he spoke of the cliques of the modern day. When he spoke of the shallow, moral-filled strong arms that controlled society, he spoke of the society of today. Thus the life of a philosopher.
In this book, he reflects on his past. It is his version of an autobiography. He talks of past works, reinstates his beliefs with more clarity, and of other admired artists/philosophers and their works that have impacted him.
The book is almost like an essay, with his old beliefs coming to light and covering new grounds, new theories put on the table and a strong voice that makes for a delivery that was anything but shaky in disposition.
What I liked most about Ecce Homo was Nietzche's unflinching conviction to his unpopular perspective on religion, morality and life. Amongst his strong points were his ideas or one liners that leave you pondering after you have put the book down for the night. Also powerful was his voice that reflected his mental state at the time in which Ecce Homo was "conceived". Not to mention his plea for all followers of his readings to learn from him, expand due to him and then forget him. To disconnect the connection and move on. To claim the new ideas as only your own.
There was nothing to hate about the book as far as I am concerned. I have read several of his works, and where they showed his weaknesses as being against society, this final work has really summed up the man well. It leaves no doubt in your mind as to where he stands and who he is. And given his fate, I'd be happy to have this be my final testament if I were him.
I highly recommend this read to all with an open mind; to anyone who is bored with standard teachings or beliefs; or anyone who is lonely as hell and can't see the beauty and clarity to such circumstances.

In his autobiography "Ecce Homo" Friedrich Nietzsche recounts his life and works. Nietzsche probably felt the need for this work because he feared that he was "not understood" by his readers. History proved him right in his suspicion about us readers. The autobiography closes with the question "Have I been understood?-Dionysos against the Crucified...." "Ecce Homo" should not be read as an introduction to Nietzsche. I recommend this book for those who have read some of Nietzsche's works or at least an introductory text to Nietzsche's philosophy.

Nietzsche entitled his chapters brazenly: "Why I Am So Wise", "Why I Am So Clever", "Why I Write Such Good Books", followed by his discussion of his individual works, and then "Why I Am Destiny". It has been suggested that Nietzsche may have been experiencing the early symptoms of his mental (and physical) decline at the point of writing this work, and his complete mental collapse was to occur soon thereafter. The titles of the chapters in Ecce Homo seemed to be self-indulgent, pointing towards Nietzsche's impending insanity, but after reading Ecce Homo, I had to think that this portrayed arrogance and superiority functioned (at least partially) as a mockery of the narcissistic nature of autobiographies, of which The Confessions by Rousseau offers a good example.
A proof of this sarcastic intention is this sentence from the Preface of Ecce Homo: ""Under these circumstances I have a duty against which my habits, even more the pride of my instincts, revolt at bottom--namely, to say: Hear me! For I am such and such a person. Above all, do not mistake me for someone else!" This sentence shows how Nietzsche acknowledged the limits and self-indulgent dangers of an autobiography. At the same time, Nietzsche did use the autobiography as a medium to strengthen and emphasize his thoughts about Christianity, Western morality, modern culture, anti-Semitism and the German people.
The chapters in Ecce Homo attempt to show Nietzsche's philosophical progression as he began his career as a philologist, the influence of Wagner on his early life, his subsequent break with Wagner, and his later writings. Nietzsche also includes commentary on his own writings, particularly his Zarathustra and shows the opposition between the Dionysian and the Apollonian.
Ecce Homo is a self-portrait in writing. When discussing his image of himself, Nietzsche states that he is a philosopher "who is not an Alexandrian academic nor an Apollonian sage, but Dionysian", meaning that Nietzsche insisted that his suffering, and the scorn he received by his critics, was not noble but tragic. In this regard, the wording of his title was not meant to draw parallels with the Christ, but suggest a contrast, that Nietzsche truly is "a man." Nietzsche's point is that to be "a man" alone is to be more than Christ.
"Ecce Homo" is Nietzsche's philosophical autobiography that attacks the unselfish ideal, metaphysical abstractions, and traditional views of morality. What I liked most about Ecce Homo was Nietzsche's unflinching conviction to his unpopular perspective on religion, morality and life. Amongst his strong points was his plea for all followers of his readings to learn from him, expand due to him and then forget him. To disconnect the connection and move on. To claim the new ideas as only your own.

As someone aptly said, Nietzsche is - philosophy on drugs. Polemical, sensual, sublime, attacking, empathetic and always testing the frontiers. Ecce homo, is a shining example in this sense. It's like a well choreographed play where he dons the role of a gladiator, monk and an observant spectator all at once and with surprising ease. Be aware, this is a philosophical biography where Nietzsche takes liberty to present his ideas and musings often in a self congratulatory style. His commentaries about other writers (Emerson, Dostoevsky) are worth nothing and a rare insight into his thought process. The book does a good job of providing a cursory summary of all his previous work with his personal annotations.

Nietzsche is on top of his game here and it stands out as a lone unscalable summit alike all of this other books.

Prior to reading this autobiography (or more accurately self-portrait) of Nietzsche I had read only "On the Genealogy of Morality" and "On Truth And Lie In the Extra-Moral Sense." While I found him insightful, passionate and heroic, I had not thought of him as sensitive, friendly or considerate. Ecce Homo changed that. The man who writes in Ecce Homo is a sincere and spiritual human being who bears no ill will toward anyone--rather his conflict is against ideas and he wages war on them without taking the hammer to their creators (Schopenhauer, Wagner, Christ). To truly understand Nietzsche as a human being rather than a collection of ideas I recommend reading Ecce Homo first... and also perhaps last.

The striking power , the unique individuality of Neitzsche's writing is like no other. He is close to being the greatest of all aphoristic philosophers. And his writing has a strength, an intensity that profoundly strikes the reader.
In this 'summa' of his own thought made before he went off into his last years of complete non- communicability he summarizes his major works, and discourses on and on about the subjects which most disturb and obsess him.
One would like to see in this obvious work of genius something worthy of praise alone. For Neitzsche is courageous, he is bold, he is daring and his daring is a daring to truthfulness , in irony even about himself, or what he knows about himself.
Yet there is a message which is conveyed in the work beyond the straightforward meaning of the page. It is in the tone and in the stance. It is in the hysteria and the hatred. And this is where my objection to Neitzsche comes.
For if he was an opponent of Wagner, and would have despised with all his soul the complete misinterpretation of his message made by the Nazis ( Their collective racism was far from his teaching as I understand it of what the 'overman' should be) the very tone of his hatred and hysteria, the very pose of all knowing certainty , the firmness of his tone and voice certainly transmit something that most hatefilled and evil movement absorbed.
For the rest, for the lonely individuals finding in Neitzsche some deep solace( "The thought of suicide enables me to get through many a rough night") for the critics of certain forms of Western thought, Neitzsche might provide a more excusable message.
But the style is also the man, and the man who wrote 'Ecce Homo' was not only not to be compared to the first Christian, he is in some deep human terms , less than wholly commendable.
God should give us kinder and saner geniuses.

"ecce homo" is certainly the most, eh...'unusual' autobiography i've ever encountered, and has a fascination all its own, but i would take nietzsche to task for his constant criticism of scholars and those prefer to live in the imagination and language rather than in what he preferred to think of as 'reality. this kind of positivistic nonsense is what makes me prefer schopenhauer's philosophy to nietzsche's, in the end. its odd that a man with the sensitivity, perceptiveness and intelligence of nietzsche never seemed to realize that after awhile, the external world of people, things, egoism and power seeking simply becomes a tiresome bore. still, though, the concept of the dionysian is intriguing and the fiery, poetic quality of nietzsche's prose keeps the reader riveted to his unbelievably original thoughts and indispensable critique of christian beliefs and ascetic ideals.

the titles of the chapters are slightly amusing--"why i am so clever", "why i write such good books", "why i am a beginning". this isn't a question of not worrying about modesty, but one of impending insanity. its almost as though on some level nietzsche was aware that the end was near and that he needed to write something that expressed his heart and soul before he fell apart completely. one of the most stunning parts in the book are nietzsche's wholly accurate predictions for the twentieth century:"there will be wars such as mankind has never seen before." he said it with a certain delight, no doubt, but nonetheless, this man possessed the intuition and foresight of an almost mystical kind, although he would punch me in the mouth for saying that. he also admits some curious things about himself that contradict his professed philosophy more than slightly:"i know nothing of the 'heroic', i know nothing of 'will'. my being would rather say 'no' than 'yes'; in fact, it would rather say nothing at all." this, from the eternal yea sayer? "ecce homo" offers some curious insights into the actual psyche of the man who preached life affirmation with his more formal works.