Five Prefaces to Five Unwritten Books
Five short prefaces that open paths into Nietzsche’s early thinking.
Fünf Vorreden zu fünf ungeschriebenen Büchern
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In Nietzsche’s life
When it was written
- Written
- December 1872
- Publication
- Gift manuscript, 1872; published posthumously
Nietzsche gives Cosima Wagner five prefaces to unwritten books at Christmas. They explore truth, education, the Greek state, and cultural competition.
“Every talent must develop through competition.”
Original German
Jede Begabung muß sich kämpfend entfalten
What it’s about
Prepared for Cosima Wagner, these prefaces explore truth, educational institutions, the Greek state, Schopenhauerian philosophy, and Homeric competition. They are a group of essays, rather than chapters of a completed book.
Key ideas
- 1
The pathos of truth
The desire for truth has a history and a psychological cost.
- 2
Greek culture
Nietzsche examines the difficult social conditions behind cultural achievement.
- 3
Homeric competition
Rivalry can stimulate artistic and intellectual accomplishment.
Who it’s for
- Readers exploring Nietzsche’s thought
- Anyone interested in philosophy, culture, and the history of values
