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Zoroaster (also Zarathustra) is also the character at the center of the famous book by Nietzsche "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" (I recommend it), which itself inspire
by henearkr 5y ago
Zoroaster (also Zarathustra) is also the character at the center of the famous book by Nietzsche "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" (I recommend it), which itself inspired the symphonic poem (with the same name -- I recommend to listen to it entirely too) from Richard Strauss, that everyone knows as the opening theme of Kubric's "2001: A Space Odyssey" (that I recommend too).
- krylon 5y agoWhile I recommend Nietzsche's book, too (I think it's one of the most beautiful works written in German just from the perspective of language), I doubt his character has much in common with the original Zoroaster beyond the name. (I know next to nothing about Zoroastrianism, but Nietzsche was not big on religion.)
- henearkr 5y agoThank you. I really thought Nietzsche had taken the real Zoroaster as basis, but you're right (as well as the other sibling commentator), it seems to be just the name.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- keiferski 5y agoNietzsche specifically chose to name his character Zarathustra because he (Nietzsche) viewed him as being the first person to introduce the concept of Good and Evil. Thus he should be the one to transcend it, according to Nietzsche. In other words, he chose the name because it represented exactly the mentality he wanted to overcome.
- henearkr 5y agoThanks. I thought it was more deeply related, but I was wrong.