Explain and discuss Nietzsche’s distinction between the last man and the overman.

Overman notes:

> two diametrically opposed states of a human being; one is Nietzsche’s so-called ‘ideal’ form of
human; the other is the comforting kind of human humanity seeks; spirit must develop to get to this
state. Camel lion CHILD. Perhaps we are supermen and then lose it as we age? Loves mankind > God.
Non-conformist. Not progressing towards superman and going backwards could be ‘’de-evolution’’?
“Soul meagre ghastly famished…” = Soul has to be developed; “who will follow me because they
want to follow themselves”, “breaketh up their table of values – creator”, creates its own will.

MAN IS A ROPE.

Last man notes:

> Last man is content and has ‘wretched self-complacency’; follows the goatherd (except there is no
longer a leader, just one herd) and dare not stray from norm; seeks only comfort & pleasure and
doesn’t think about such things as love or creation; all he wants is happiness and never to be
burdened; Zarathustra commends the rope-walker for leading life of danger/his calling.

Plan:

MAKE SURE TO REFERENCE OVERMAN AND LAST MAN IN PARAGRAPHS & BRING UP CRITIQUES (E.G.
SO SUBJECTIVE, HOW DO WE AGREE ON WHO THE OVERMAN IS?)

Intro

Teil 1: States of a human being; man is a rope; “soul meagre…”; metamorphoses of soul (camel etc.);
explain how ‘Superman’/Overman really means ‘beyond-man’.

Tangent – since ‘child’ is a good metamorphosis perhaps we are all born superman and society
amends us so.

Link = So what are the key features of such men?

Teil 2: Independence; herd-following; blindly believing in culture & faith; ‘follow themselves’; loves
man and not God.

Link = Disregarding norms entails creating values

Teil 3: Creator of values; disregards the norm; seeks his own will (like a child) and path (rope-dancer)

Link =And it’s because he rejects values that he must learn to accept the discomfort of life.
Teil 4: Rejection of hedonism; accepts discomfort in world and doesn’t shy away; improves self
through challenging experiences.

Conclusion