Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Modern society changes frequently. People are always leading an exhausted life, which they also carry forward criticism and reflection constantly. Friedrich Nietzsche, a thinker who influenced the whole course of the twentieth century, his prospective examination on the modern society has become the common experience of all the modeern humans. Therefore, to interpret Nietzsche’s thoughts plays an important role in reference and theoretical value for China which is experiencing the transition period now.In the context of the whole idea of Nietzsche, his critique of modernity is consistent. Thus Spoke Zarathustra, as Nietzsche’s masterpiece, has imbued with his reflection and criticism of modern society. Thus, to analyze Thus Spoke Zarathustra from the perspective of Nietzsche’s critique of modernity may help to carry out a tentative analysis on "eternal recurrence", which is the basic idea of the text, so as to tell the profound implications of" eternal recurrence " in Nietzsche’s critique of modernity.On the first part of the thesis, I will briefly describe the relationship between Nietzsche’s works in each period of time, generally discusses Nietzsche’s ideas about "modernity", and shortly outline the main ideas of Nietzsche’s critique of modernity, in order to indicate that Nietzsche’s critique of modernity is designed to re-establish the order of value in modern times.The second part is mainly about the text Thus Spoke Zarathustra. I will discuss the contents of this text in detail. There are four volumes in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, the first three volumes were edited by Nietzsche and published publicly. In Zarathustra’s prologue, Zarathustra gives a lecture about the overman (Ubermensch) and the last human being (der letzte Mensch) who is the reflection of modern. The first volume of this text begins with Zarathustra’s going under, and follows with Zarathustra’s emphases on the disadvantages of modern society, aiming at teaching people overman. The core concept of the second volume is about the will to power, which is Zarathustra’s new wisdom. The third volume is mainly about the thought of eternal recurrence. Zarathustra realized the meaning of the "eternal recurrence". The last volume of Thus Spoke Zarathustra is focused on Zarathustra’s pity for the higher men and how he had overcome it.On the third part of this thesis, I will focus on analyzing the meaning of eternal recurrence in the view of Nietzsche’s critique of modernity in order to show the significance of this concept is to encourage the beings to create more innocently, and furthermore, it will be the touchstone of becoming the Legislator of the new order of value.