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Ecce Homo/The Antichrist
For some, the question Why Nietzsche? Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was quite simply one of the most original and influential philosophers who ever lived; in addition, his writing style was brilliant, epigrammatic, idiosyncratic. This brings us to a second Why The Antichrist and Ecce Homo? Two of this great German's most germane offerings, they were among his last writings. Although he completed them both by the end of 1888, they were considered to be so inflammatory that they were published only years later, in 1895 and 1908, respectively. Both are products of Nietzsche's last creative year. Yet Ecce Homo is relatively calm and tranquil, while The Antichrist is a jeremiad full of venom and vitriol. The latter is in fact one of the most devastating condemnations of Christianity ever; Nietzsche calls it "the one immortal blemish on mankind," the greatest sin possible against reality, against the spirit of the earth. He goes on to say that "the first and last Christian died on the Cross." His analysis of Jesus and Paul as superlative Jewish types and his portrait of Pontius Pilate as a superior Roman type are thought-provoking, to say the least. This leads us to a third Why this translation? This version is more faithful than any other, thus, I think, better than any other. Every sentence has been weighed and sifted, sifted and weighed to reproduce Nietzsche's hybrid, high-bred style - that style which encompasses the shrill, strident, sarcastic and bombastic as well as the eloquent, impassioned, refined and resplendent. Nietzsche without tears, then, without scholarly excuses or pretentious "improvements"; Nietzsche without shortcuts; better yet, Nietzschestraight.
174 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1888
28 people are currently reading
756 people want to read
About the author
Friedrich Nietzsche
4,325 books25.5k followersFriedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a German classical scholar, philosopher, and critic of culture, who became one of the most influential of all modern thinkers. He began his career as a classical philologist before turning to philosophy. He became the youngest person to hold the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel in 1869 at the age of 24, but resigned in 1879 due to health problems that plagued him most of his life; he completed much of his core writing in the following decade. In 1889, at age 44, he suffered a collapse and afterward a complete loss of his mental faculties, with paralysis and probably vascular dementia. He lived his remaining years in the care of his mother until her death in 1897 and then with his sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche. Nietzsche died in 1900, after experiencing pneumonia and multiple strokes.
Nietzsche's work spans philosophical polemics, poetry, cultural criticism, and fiction while displaying a fondness for aphorism and irony. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth in favour of perspectivism; a genealogical critique of religion and Christian morality and a related theory of master–slave morality; the aesthetic affirmation of life in response to both the "death of God" and the profound crisis of nihilism; the notion of Apollonian and Dionysian forces; and a characterisation of the human subject as the expression of competing wills, collectively understood as the will to power. He also developed influential concepts such as the Übermensch and his doctrine of eternal return. In his later work, he became increasingly preoccupied with the creative powers of the individual to overcome cultural and moral mores in pursuit of new values and aesthetic health. His body of work touched a wide range of topics, including art, philology, history, music, religion, tragedy, culture, and science, and drew inspiration from Greek tragedy as well as figures such as Zoroaster, Arthur Schopenhauer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Richard Wagner, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
After his death, Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth became the curator and editor of his manuscripts. She edited his unpublished writings to fit her German ultranationalist ideology, often contradicting or obfuscating Nietzsche's stated opinions, which were explicitly opposed to antisemitism and nationalism. Through her published editions, Nietzsche's work became associated with fascism and Nazism. 20th-century scholars such as Walter Kaufmann, R.J. Hollingdale, and Georges Bataille defended Nietzsche against this interpretation, and corrected editions of his writings were soon made available. Nietzsche's thought enjoyed renewed popularity in the 1960s and his ideas have since had a profound impact on 20th- and early 21st-century thinkers across philosophy—especially in schools of continental philosophy such as existentialism, postmodernism, and post-structuralism—as well as art, literature, music, poetry, politics, and popular culture.
Nietzsche's work spans philosophical polemics, poetry, cultural criticism, and fiction while displaying a fondness for aphorism and irony. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth in favour of perspectivism; a genealogical critique of religion and Christian morality and a related theory of master–slave morality; the aesthetic affirmation of life in response to both the "death of God" and the profound crisis of nihilism; the notion of Apollonian and Dionysian forces; and a characterisation of the human subject as the expression of competing wills, collectively understood as the will to power. He also developed influential concepts such as the Übermensch and his doctrine of eternal return. In his later work, he became increasingly preoccupied with the creative powers of the individual to overcome cultural and moral mores in pursuit of new values and aesthetic health. His body of work touched a wide range of topics, including art, philology, history, music, religion, tragedy, culture, and science, and drew inspiration from Greek tragedy as well as figures such as Zoroaster, Arthur Schopenhauer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Richard Wagner, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
After his death, Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth became the curator and editor of his manuscripts. She edited his unpublished writings to fit her German ultranationalist ideology, often contradicting or obfuscating Nietzsche's stated opinions, which were explicitly opposed to antisemitism and nationalism. Through her published editions, Nietzsche's work became associated with fascism and Nazism. 20th-century scholars such as Walter Kaufmann, R.J. Hollingdale, and Georges Bataille defended Nietzsche against this interpretation, and corrected editions of his writings were soon made available. Nietzsche's thought enjoyed renewed popularity in the 1960s and his ideas have since had a profound impact on 20th- and early 21st-century thinkers across philosophy—especially in schools of continental philosophy such as existentialism, postmodernism, and post-structuralism—as well as art, literature, music, poetry, politics, and popular culture.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 2, 2014
I don't think this Nietzsche-dude much cares for Christianity.
February 29, 2020
This book went way over my head. I do not know enough about religion and I am too naive for this one.
This made me feel stupid.
This made me feel stupid.
July 10, 2020
It is worth mentioning that I was formally introduced by Nietzsche by Bertrand Russel on his History of Western Philosophy. I by no means demeanor the latter, as I tend to judge each serious book I read with an empathetic conscious of one's circumstances and belongings, which leads one to reach certain understandable, albeit not necessarily truthful conclusions. I thank Russel for a superb and tongue-in-cheek philosophical and historical introduction.
Notwithstanding, the Nietzsche he describes is far from what my instincts perceive. I see an intellectual, brave, courageous, genius and honest mind. Nietzsche's prose is so complex, precise, poetic and intentionally so self-contradictory that its misinterpretation, as we all know, may lead to dire consequences. Make no mistake, Nietzsche should be the last Human on history to blame.
The Antichrist was the first book were I actually took notes. Where my suspicions came in fruition. Where my intellect was refined by Natural instincts.
Surprisingly, all is set in my mind as clear as the sky on a Summer day, and its knowledge is ossified in my spirit like helictites on ice caves.
One has to wonder how the author would look at Mankind at this moment in time, the year 2020: where facial masks now hang from car's rear-viewers, instead of crucifixes. How decadent demagogues and "celebrities" are elected as world leaders. How weakness is now perceived not only as the supreme virtue, the most honorable of privileges, by combating non-existent ones.
What are privileges anyway?
I say yay: for the destruction of morality, for the transvalutation of all values, for courage, for hardheartedness, for love, for pleasure, for truth, for tragedy. For life.
Notwithstanding, the Nietzsche he describes is far from what my instincts perceive. I see an intellectual, brave, courageous, genius and honest mind. Nietzsche's prose is so complex, precise, poetic and intentionally so self-contradictory that its misinterpretation, as we all know, may lead to dire consequences. Make no mistake, Nietzsche should be the last Human on history to blame.
The Antichrist was the first book were I actually took notes. Where my suspicions came in fruition. Where my intellect was refined by Natural instincts.
Surprisingly, all is set in my mind as clear as the sky on a Summer day, and its knowledge is ossified in my spirit like helictites on ice caves.
One has to wonder how the author would look at Mankind at this moment in time, the year 2020: where facial masks now hang from car's rear-viewers, instead of crucifixes. How decadent demagogues and "celebrities" are elected as world leaders. How weakness is now perceived not only as the supreme virtue, the most honorable of privileges, by combating non-existent ones.
What are privileges anyway?
I say yay: for the destruction of morality, for the transvalutation of all values, for courage, for hardheartedness, for love, for pleasure, for truth, for tragedy. For life.
August 4, 2020
Я прочитала русский перевод. Что было примичательно для меня это то что первую часть переводил мужчина, а вторую: женщина. Остался остаток увереннсости во внутренние силы, что можно перебороть страхи перед идеалами и не сломать себя. Там было написано о человеческом страхе перед уколами, о вере исцеления после укола. Да, я допускаю что Ницше был гением, но он умер очень молодым. Этого мне не надо.
August 29, 2022
The antichrist was very good.
December 18, 2024
La cristiandad y sus incongruencias…
December 15, 2019
As the title may suggest, this is my first time reading anything related to Nietzsche. Why I chose The Antichrist?
Well for two reason really:
1) Since some time ago I wanted to start reading him, but didn't wanted to do it with Thus Spoke Zarathustra (that I reserve it for another time)
2) Since I was little, something in me didn't believed in any God or religion, so I thought it would be great to see what someone as Nietzsche believed.
That said, let me tell you what I thought.
As a first time reading anything Philosophy-like especially Nietzsche, I can't go very deep with my review. Though that doesn't mean I can't talk about it.
I believe this book is for someone who doesn't care about Heavy reading or cares about how long it can take to go through it, but certainly there will be three type of readers.
a) The ones who will call BS any thoughts coming from this reading
b) The ones who without question will accept any idea of what they read.
c) And the ones who will question everything they read.
For me I'm between the second and third. Where I truly believe anything Nietzsche said is completely true and questioning if it is really necessary to be as extremist as he was.
Maybe it's only me but Religion perse is as important as any other thing Human ever created, and yes, it has been the cause of many of the Corruption of society. So as many other things created by Humans.
Nevertheless everything that has done any bad can do many goods, you only have te reform it.
Well for two reason really:
1) Since some time ago I wanted to start reading him, but didn't wanted to do it with Thus Spoke Zarathustra (that I reserve it for another time)
2) Since I was little, something in me didn't believed in any God or religion, so I thought it would be great to see what someone as Nietzsche believed.
That said, let me tell you what I thought.
As a first time reading anything Philosophy-like especially Nietzsche, I can't go very deep with my review. Though that doesn't mean I can't talk about it.
I believe this book is for someone who doesn't care about Heavy reading or cares about how long it can take to go through it, but certainly there will be three type of readers.
a) The ones who will call BS any thoughts coming from this reading
b) The ones who without question will accept any idea of what they read.
c) And the ones who will question everything they read.
For me I'm between the second and third. Where I truly believe anything Nietzsche said is completely true and questioning if it is really necessary to be as extremist as he was.
Maybe it's only me but Religion perse is as important as any other thing Human ever created, and yes, it has been the cause of many of the Corruption of society. So as many other things created by Humans.
Nevertheless everything that has done any bad can do many goods, you only have te reform it.
January 16, 2015
I couldn't find the right edition on Goodreads. But check this out: my version was published by a group called "Lords of the Solar Church", so you know you're in for a good time.
This is one of my first forays into philosophical reading. I can't tell if I'm not used to the language, if it's the translation, or something else. But I couldn't comprehend much of this.
Nietzsche just struck me as incredibly blustery and crotchety. He made a few interesting points on some of humanity's ingrained characteristics, but he has this tendency to repeat himself and not substantiate his claims.
The poetry of his writing is--at times--really something. But a lot of it--at least for me right now in my life--is just boring. I think I need to reread this later on, see if it makes any more sense.
The last page summarizes the philosophy of the Lords of the Solar Church. That was a trippier, more interesting read by and large.
This is one of my first forays into philosophical reading. I can't tell if I'm not used to the language, if it's the translation, or something else. But I couldn't comprehend much of this.
Nietzsche just struck me as incredibly blustery and crotchety. He made a few interesting points on some of humanity's ingrained characteristics, but he has this tendency to repeat himself and not substantiate his claims.
The poetry of his writing is--at times--really something. But a lot of it--at least for me right now in my life--is just boring. I think I need to reread this later on, see if it makes any more sense.
The last page summarizes the philosophy of the Lords of the Solar Church. That was a trippier, more interesting read by and large.
February 18, 2022
This volume compiles two of Nietzsche's book: The Anticrhist and Ecce Homo.
It was my first exposure to Nietzsche's work and the experience was not that great. I found the prose extremely hard to read with unusual phrases and with a profusion of foreign terms that distract the reader.
The contents are difficult to follow and it's hard to maintain motivation in the text (as can be seen by the fact that I took almost one year to read it. When I started I put the book down for some weeks due to the lack of interest I felt).
It may be a problem of mine but I had troubles in understanding his points. The Antichrist seems a lot like a critic to German people disguised with the religious outfit. Ecce Homo is a book about himself, like a self-biography. He discusses topics about his life, like his diet and how did he fared with the weather, that seemed more interesting to a biographer. In Ecce Homo he also sums up his other books almost like if they were not clear and he wants to explain them. In the midst of it again comes the rage against the German people mixed with statements about his own virtue.
Definitely it was not a great experience for me.
It was my first exposure to Nietzsche's work and the experience was not that great. I found the prose extremely hard to read with unusual phrases and with a profusion of foreign terms that distract the reader.
The contents are difficult to follow and it's hard to maintain motivation in the text (as can be seen by the fact that I took almost one year to read it. When I started I put the book down for some weeks due to the lack of interest I felt).
It may be a problem of mine but I had troubles in understanding his points. The Antichrist seems a lot like a critic to German people disguised with the religious outfit. Ecce Homo is a book about himself, like a self-biography. He discusses topics about his life, like his diet and how did he fared with the weather, that seemed more interesting to a biographer. In Ecce Homo he also sums up his other books almost like if they were not clear and he wants to explain them. In the midst of it again comes the rage against the German people mixed with statements about his own virtue.
Definitely it was not a great experience for me.
March 27, 2020
Read out of research and curiosity. The author does have some interesting principles that, I believe, have some root in reality (ie the will for power in all things).
His logic argument against Christianity has too much bias and seems to me (though I am not a historian) that he has some personal vendetta against organized religion. Though even that statement contradicts his philosophy of revenge and weakness.
Overall I did find it thought provoking but his stabs at Christianity were mere assumptions and filled with fallacies. He holds a fake sense of justice for women as well - shaming the church history for their treatment and awarding other viewpoints yet in his choice of better examples, he makes women out to be more of a physical object.
Interesting philosophy but it falls short. It satisfied my personal research. Nothing more.
His logic argument against Christianity has too much bias and seems to me (though I am not a historian) that he has some personal vendetta against organized religion. Though even that statement contradicts his philosophy of revenge and weakness.
Overall I did find it thought provoking but his stabs at Christianity were mere assumptions and filled with fallacies. He holds a fake sense of justice for women as well - shaming the church history for their treatment and awarding other viewpoints yet in his choice of better examples, he makes women out to be more of a physical object.
Interesting philosophy but it falls short. It satisfied my personal research. Nothing more.
January 24, 2019
Choppy, but concise.
A bit dry, but compelling nonetheless.
I enjoyed the aspects on Buddhism, and the sharp criticisms of Christianity’s fundamentals and effects on (wo)man and society.
Nietzsche sheds much needed light (pun intended) on the fallibility of man as evident in religious teachings and doctrine.
He particularly detests priests, referring to them as parasites. Indeed they are the guilty creators and the enforcers, who profit from the concept of sin and keeping people enslaved to this idea.
“That one had better put on gloves before reading [the Bible]. The presence of so much filth makes it very advisable” - sums up the tone of this work well.
A bit dry, but compelling nonetheless.
I enjoyed the aspects on Buddhism, and the sharp criticisms of Christianity’s fundamentals and effects on (wo)man and society.
Nietzsche sheds much needed light (pun intended) on the fallibility of man as evident in religious teachings and doctrine.
He particularly detests priests, referring to them as parasites. Indeed they are the guilty creators and the enforcers, who profit from the concept of sin and keeping people enslaved to this idea.
“That one had better put on gloves before reading [the Bible]. The presence of so much filth makes it very advisable” - sums up the tone of this work well.
March 1, 2021
It took me a month to read this book. But it was worth it from the beginning to the end. Nietzsche uses sincerity to write. You can feel anger and disgust of not only christianity and religion but he is especially disgusted by people who use religion as a way to domination and power.
He values thinking and reflection instead of following blindly and being called a saint or else. That is his whole philosophy.
I recommend this book for everyone who’s courageous enough to face some truth and facts and everyone who’s ready to be destabilized by Nietzsche.
(I personally loved all his writings until now)
He values thinking and reflection instead of following blindly and being called a saint or else. That is his whole philosophy.
I recommend this book for everyone who’s courageous enough to face some truth and facts and everyone who’s ready to be destabilized by Nietzsche.
(I personally loved all his writings until now)
August 3, 2020
This is the a crystal clear portrait of human values and the influence of religion in the human life. Nietzsche solved the big problem concerning religion, why do we need religion. In this book he explains the idea of Ubermensch(Superman). The greco-roman influence is clear with his concept of Dionysus. The idea of the Ubermensch is connected with the greco roman culture, and he states clearly that Renaissance is one of the great movements that was disrupted by the Christian Church. I suggest you need to read other Nietzsche books before reading this one.
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February 8, 2020aere perennius
July 5, 2024
I would stay very open-minded when reading this, and make sure to understand the setting of the time, place, and person who wrote it.
June 9, 2021
I didn't understand f*** all. My understanding of what Nietzsche said in this book was, "Boy, he really does not like Christianity." I'll definitely need to revisit it in the future.
April 27, 2021
Livre à ruminer longtemps.
Le plus beau livre de Nietzsche sur le plan de la verve et de la faconde.
Une mise en règle juste et nécessaire du paulinisme et de ses dérives mortifères.
Il faut abattre les sanctuaires idéalistes pour en construire un de neuf, embrassant pleinement le Sens de la Terre dont parla Zarathoustra.
Le plus beau livre de Nietzsche sur le plan de la verve et de la faconde.
Une mise en règle juste et nécessaire du paulinisme et de ses dérives mortifères.
Il faut abattre les sanctuaires idéalistes pour en construire un de neuf, embrassant pleinement le Sens de la Terre dont parla Zarathoustra.
May 26, 2011
Ницше. Удивительный человек. С одной стороны высокомерный до психического отклонения, с другой естественно органичный в своих высказываниях. Местами читается тяжело, но есть моменты которые пролетают с легкостью.
January 19, 2015
definitely a slap to the Christianity and the Christians of today we did not invent the Christianity so we cannot be blamed for it
very interesting way of looking at religion but not my cup of tea
there's a saying keep your friends close but your enemies closer
very interesting way of looking at religion but not my cup of tea
there's a saying keep your friends close but your enemies closer
May 19, 2009
Classic Book Club selection for May 2009: Nietzsche is obviously crazy & obssessed with his digestive system. The best thing about this book is that it was short, and inexpensive on my Kindle.
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July 27, 2011Non, j'aime pas trop
September 6, 2014
I didn't like it at all.
December 15, 2016
Классное переиначивание христианство, жаль что под конец скатилось в "я так вижу христианство, а значит мое мнение правильное, и оно должно быть таким, как вижу его я".
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews