“the Pinnacle of Life’s Jubilation”: an Exploration of the Vitality for Human Greatness in the Poetry of Friedrich Nietzsche

Considered one of the most formidable and enigmatic philosophers of all time, Friedrich Nietzsche captivates his readers by weaving charismatic aphorisms of logic and emotion. Many claim his enticing presentations are too “dynamite,” focused only on the destruction of society. Disdainful of the crumbling state of his homeland, Nietzsche observes the cause of Europe’s ruins and devotes himself to combating the pervasive nihilism that degrades the once-great Europe. Contrary to the popular perception of Nietzsche, he understands himself to be a lover of human beings, and understands his aphorisms as articulations of social critique and solution rather than wrecking balls of destruction. He understands the destruction of weak and faulty conventions as a necessity in order for man to create a stronger, bolder, and more sustainable society. Nietzsche values the contest as a means for raising man from chaos and into a society that provokes creation and strives for human greatness. The contest is a communal but adversarial pursuit of truth in accordance with man’s true nature. The fulfillment of man’s true nature requires the understanding that the natural state of man is chaos and therefore that man’s true nature is an amalgamation of passion and reason. Nietzsche understands that poetry is an essential pillar _________________________