Dimension of words in Nietzsche's Zarathustra

Abstract

The aim of this article is to find out how language and speech are understood implicitly and explicitly, in Nietzsche's work Thus Spoke Zarathustra, a book for everyone and no one, in which Nietzsche through the imaginary prophet, poet and philosopher tries to achieve the unity of poetry, myth and philosophy. The ambiguity of Nietzsche’s text which seems to be open to many interpretations and to be for everybody, gives the impression that the truth has been concealed and that it is a book for nobody. Analogically the destiny of Zarathustra's speeches is paradoxical. Through them Zarathustra tries to pass his teachings to his listeners but they are spoken in such a way that they are not understood. They show the imposibility of delivering the primary knowledge through an intermediary, and the imposibility of saying the final truth. Zarathustra’s language is a way of coming closer to the truth. As Nietzsche’s words are bridges between the eternally divided so the arrival to the final truth means language reaching the silence. Silence is not the confirmation of the meaninglessness of language. On the contrary, if speaking is the opening of Being, then silence is its necessary and highest point. Holding in itself the peacefulness of knowledge, time and beauty, silence for Nietzsche is the very source of language and it is also the place where language ends. Poetry as a possible way of speaking is closer to the truth than the ordinary language, but it is still not yet the presence of the truth that is in silence. Poets have a promise of truth but cannot suffer its silence and they thus stifle it with their singing. Although Nietzsche proclaims poets to be liers and philosophers »mummies of concepts«, he himself does not reach this ideal of silen wisdom of Zarathustra and remains both, a poet, conscious of his tragic sense, and a philosopher, aware of the imperfection of his knowledge.