Language and the tension between the teacher and the philosopher in Nietzsche’s works

Abstract

This article aims to show the existence of a tension between the characters of the philosopher and the teacher in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, starting from an analysis of his celebrated Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883-1884). We propose examining this tension from the following perspective: Nietzsche argues for the personal character of philosophy, while seeing that the great danger that threatens the teacher is a loss of their self-seriousness and only thinking things through in relation to their students. Thus Spoke Zarathustra’s narrative shows how the problem with language is one of the main contributors to this tension. In this context, we articulate the figure of the master singer with Nietzsche’s concept of philosophy as a personal activity.