On Nietzsche’s "Three Metamorphoses"

The famous German philosopher Nietzsche is a unique genius in the history of European ideology.Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a philosophical masterpiece completed by Nietzsche from 1882 to 1885.It is Nietzsche’s favorite work and his most concerned work.It is called "a book for all but no one".Zarathustra is a central figure in Nietzsche’s thought.Nietzsche uses this image as his words to express his philosophical thoughts to the world.The Camel,the Lion,and the Child,these three images are the three transformations of the spirit mentioned by Nietzsche in Thus Spoke Zarathustra.At the beginning of Thus Spoke Zarathustra,Nietzsche enumerates to us three stages of spiritual change: one is how the spirit changes into a camel,the other is how the camel changes into a lion,and finally how the lion changes into a child.In Nietzsche’s view,these three changes of spirit have different meanings.The three deformations described by Zarathustra can be interpreted from different angles.In this paper,we regard these three significant transformations as the pursuit and love of self emphasized by Zarathustra.First,the first stage of mental transformation: the camel stage.On the one hand,the camel is a model of "carrying a heavy load".It carries the burden of life in the desert.It is tough,loyal,but seems to lack wisdom,passively to the fate of the arrangement.The camel’s rule is "you should",that is,respectfully obey the external order,bearing all the values of traditional civilization.As for the "burden" of camels,this paper focuses on Platonism and Christian morality.On the other hand,the burden of camels also reflects that people know clearly that carrying heavy burdens should not be their own choice,but they are willing to bear it,endure humiliation,and are unwilling to refuse and resist.Then,under this kind of pressure it gradually lost its self.Then there is the second stage of mental transformation: The lion stage.Changing from camel to lion is not only a challenge to traditional values and spirit,but also to ourselves.Nietzsche compares the values and moral dogmas that bind life to the golden scales of the dragon.The camel follows all the orders of the dragon,but the lion is committed to destroying the dragon.The lion’s rule is "my will." At this stage,self-consciousness begins to awaken.It dares to deny traditional values and spirits,and actively fights to strengthen its will.However,the strength of the lion is valuable,but it is more destruction than construction.The lion hasthe ability to create freedom to create new value,but it does not have the ability to create new value.Therefore,the lion was going to become a child.Finally,the third stage of mental transformation: the child stage."Child" is above "camel" and "lion",it is a completely new start,containing infinite possibilities.At this stage,the mind returns to its original state,symbolizing the full affirmation of life.In the preface to Thus Spoke Zarathustra,Zarathustra comes down the mountains with the news of god’s death to convey the meaning of superman.The image of child is the metaphor of superman.He is the most authentic and free state in himself,and it also indicates that the real independent self is generated in creation.Nietzsche uses Zarathustra to elaborate on the three transformations of the spirit,and describes the life course of the spirit.The camel,lion and child symbolize the three stages of self-generation,which have gone through the process from weight bearing and loss,to reflection and awakening,finally to generation and transcendence.First,it is a good illustration of the "you should--I should--I am" value shift.Each of us must find our own place,not afraid of the past,and not afraid of the future.Secondly,man is always an unfinished generator.Only by affirming himself and transcending the present can he go to the future.