The Birth Of Tragedy: A Review

Alright friends, I’ve finally finished this book The Birth of Tragedy, the first book by Fredrich Nietzsche. To understand it completely, I know, I’ll have to read it a few more times, but I’d discuss briefly whatever, little it may be, I’ve understood from it.

Most importantly in this book, Nietzsche discusses the difference between and Apollonian and a Dionysian character, with relation to the ancient Greek tragedy. An Apollonian character is a rational, sober, serene character while a Dionysian character is destructive, irrational, passionate and a rather savage character. In relation to arts, Apollonian arts are plastic or visual arts like painting or sculpture and Dionysian arts are non-plastic arts, most importantly music and ecstacy.

Tragedy is born with the combination of these two characters, more importantly Dionysian character. It’s like when the rational and contemplating side of man meets with his irrational and passionate side of existence that tragedy is created. Tragedy which as the pinnacle of passionate form of art and which made the awful existence endurable.

Nietzsche further emphasizes the importance of music in the phenomenon of tragedy. A true tragedy cannot be devoid of music, and only that music which emerges as the aesthetic and passionate call of the soul, not the contemplative and patterned music. It’s the very essence of a true tragedy. He further goes on to differentiate between the Apollonian and Dionysian characters by describing a true poet and a true dramatist:

“The aesthetic phenomenon is fundamentally simple: if someone just possesses the capacity to see a living game going on and to live all the time surrounded by hordes of ghosts, then that man is a poet. If someone just feels the urge to change himself and to speak out from other bodies and souls, then that person is a dramatist.”

And:

“Enchantment is the precondition of all dramatic art.” – p.38

This aesthetic phenomenon is not governed with contemplation or rationality. This comes straight from the depths of souls, pulled by the burning passions.

The aversion that Nietzsche has for Socrates is because Socrates was the forbearer of Greek rationality and logic, and by stressing upon these elements, he invoked an injurious blow on the tragic Dionysian character, hence playing the most prominent part in the death of ancient Greek musical tragedy. He called forth human faculties of rationality and logical argumentation while placing passions at a lower level, while in a true tragedy destructive passions have the foremost measure. This Socratic soberness continues to exert it’s influence till the present age. But, not all truths and secrets of nature and existence can be unveiled solely through logic and argumentation. At certain points intuitions and passions far surpass them in grandness to unwind the intricate riddles of existence:

“Perhaps there is a kingdom of wisdom which is forbidden to the logician?” p.63.

Finally, Nietzsche called for a return to Dionysian drama and believed that German artists and philosophers were uniquely suited to lead this rebirth of tragedy. Consequently, he dedicates this book to German composer Richard Wagner, who Nietzsche said could revive this tragic spirit.

(That’s all, I think. Hopefully, I’ll understand NiNietzsche’s philosophy more deeply with time and the review on the next book would be better)