Nietzsche's Surprising Love of Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Channel: The Living Philosophy

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Keywords: Nietzsche and emerson, emerson and Nietzsche, ralph waldo emerson and Nietzsche, ralph waldo emerson, philosophy of emerson, Nietzsche philosophy, Stanley cavell Nietzsche, Stanley cavell emerson, emerson, Nietzsche, Nietzsche emerson, the living philosophy, nietzsche, philosophy, ralph waldo emerson self reliance, philosophy of life, philosophy of the world, nietzsche emerson, waldo emerson, friedrich nietzsche, nietzsche philosophy

Id: tr2PY4HTevQ

Length: 12min 53sec (773 seconds)

Published: Sun May 16 2021

Reddit Comments

[u/thelivingphilosophy]

Abstract:

The major impact of Ralph Waldo Emerson on Friedrich Nietzsche has been summarised by American philosophy Stanley Cavell:

“no matter how often this connection of Nietzsche to Emerson is stated, no matter how obvious to anyone who cares to verify it, it stays incredible, it is always in a forgotten state.”

One Nietzschean scholar Charles Andler has identified Emerson as “one of the prototypes of Zarathustra”. Another Nietzschean scholar Herman Hummel goes so far as to say

“that Emerson was more than “a brother soul” to Nietzsche, and that he exercised a continuous influence stronger than that of any other writer on Nietzsche”

Nietzsche first read Emerson as a 17 year old schoolboy. His copy of Emerson’s collection of two essay series was “thoroughly soiled with much reading, crowded with underlinings and marginal notes.” (Baumgarten in Hummel 1946). This reading of Emerson continued throughout Nietzsche’s career (there are multiple notes in the margins from 1889 saying Ecce Homo).

Perhaps the peak of this was in 1882—the year he wrote the Gay Science and the first part of Thus Spoke Zarathustra. At this time he filled a notebook with notes from Emerson: some verbatim, some adapted and some that were blends from Emerson into Nietzsche’s own thinking.

His evaluation of Emerson was not without critique. He loved Emerson enough to say that they were “twin souls” but he also expresses a regret in a letter to Franz Overbeck that Emerson wasn’t educated properly:

“I don't know how much I would give to effect retroactively the strict disciplining, the real scholarly education of so great and splendid a nature, with its spiritual and intellectual wealth. As it is, we have lost a philosopher in Emerson.”

Nevertheless his love of Emerson was persistent and he also wrote that

“I have never felt so much at home in a book, so much in my own house as—I ought not to praise it; it is too close to me.”

The relationship of Nietzsche to Emerson is not like that to other philosophers. Emerson seems to occupy a different category in Nietzsche’s mind as the poet-philosopher. Their shared affinity seems to be less on the intellectual details of philosophy than in their shared conviction that philosophy is something that must be lived. This ideal of living philosophy is essential to both of their works. Emerson values a personal relationship with truth and esteems highly the individual who forms this personal relationship. Nietzsche’s beliefs about the Order of Rank and the distinction between the rabble and the greats of humanity is him taking Emerson’s ideas to their natural conclusion.

The deep affinity of the two writers might be explained to some degree by their biographies: both men are descended on the paternal and maternal sides from several generations of theologians. Emerson’s father was a pastor of the Second church, Nietzsche’s father was a Lutheran pastor. Emerson’s father died when he was 8; Nietzsche’s when he was 5.

Both studied theology and left it behind—Nietzsche switching to philology while still in university, Emerson leaving his role as pastor after three years because he couldn’t reconcile himself to ossified nature of church practices. They both also suffered from poor health.

[u/Cat_Mysterious]

Most surprising is how this isn't common knowledge. Oversoul & overman. Essays like 'Circles' & eternal recurrence. N read him for certain. Not coincidental or surprising but not widely known

[u/BillyJackJay]

Emerson’s essay “Pray Without Ceasing” changed the way I thought about prayer. Probably one of the most important things I ever read.

[u/bitchman_idot]

Doesnt surprise me. For sure, in a way they seem radically different. Perhaps if you don't really know Nietzsche, then the popular negative stereotype of him would be easy to be seen as at odds with the calm naturalism of Emerson.

[u/fundyyeoman]

I liked the Emersonian influence on the prose of this piece.

[u/Lydiadaisy]

If you haven’t read the “American scholar” or “self-reliance,” you should. I used to teach these to 17 year olds. Fun to imagine Nietzsche that age reading Emerson.”

[u/music_user]

Neat. In the second year of my undergraduate degree I wrote a big philosophy / cog sci paper that spoke a lot about Nietzsche and Emerson. I just felt that they kind of obviously fit together.

[u/mg_ridgeview]

Had no idea, I'm a fan of both men's philosophies. Though I'm more familiar with Thoreau's stuff than Emerson's.

[u/Cat_Mysterious]

Don't disagree. Also the reaction when people see the titles in my personal collection. Nietzsche still gets me funny looks while Emerson seems much more palatable despite so many similarities