Reading Help Beyond good and evil
`
` 238. To be mistaken in the fundamental problem of "man and `
` woman," to deny here the profoundest antagonism and the necessity `
` for an eternally hostile tension, to dream here perhaps of equal `
` rights, equal training, equal claims and obligations: that is a `
` TYPICAL sign of shallow-mindedness; and a thinker who has proved `
` himself shallow at this dangerous spot--shallow in instinct!--may `
` generally be regarded as suspicious, nay more, as betrayed, as `
` discovered; he will probably prove too "short" for all `
` fundamental questions of life, future as well as present, and `
` will be unable to descend into ANY of the depths. On the other `
` hand, a man who has depth of spirit as well as of desires, and `
` has also the depth of benevolence which is capable of severity `
` and harshness, and easily confounded with them, can only think of `
` woman as ORIENTALS do: he must conceive of her as a possession, `
` as confinable property, as a being predestined for service and `
` accomplishing her mission therein--he must take his stand in this `
` matter upon the immense rationality of Asia, upon the superiority `
` of the instinct of Asia, as the Greeks did formerly; those best `
` heirs and scholars of Asia--who, as is well known, with their `
` INCREASING culture and amplitude of power, from Homer to the time `
` of Pericles, became gradually STRICTER towards woman, in short, `
` more Oriental. HOW necessary, HOW logical, even HOW humanely `
` desirable this was, let us consider for ourselves! `
` `
` 239. The weaker sex has in no previous age been treated with so `
` much respect by men as at present--this belongs to the tendency `
` and fundamental taste of democracy, in the same way as `
` disrespectfulness to old age--what wonder is it that abuse should `
` be immediately made of this respect? They want more, they learn `
` to make claims, the tribute of respect is at last felt to be `
` well-nigh galling; rivalry for rights, indeed actual strife `
` itself, would be preferred: in a word, woman is losing modesty. `
` And let us immediately add that she is also losing taste. She is `
` unlearning to FEAR man: but the woman who "unlearns to fear" `
` sacrifices her most womanly instincts. That woman should venture `
` forward when the fear-inspiring quality in man--or more `
` definitely, the MAN in man--is no longer either desired or fully `
` developed, is reasonable enough and also intelligible enough; `
` what is more difficult to understand is that precisely thereby-- `
` woman deteriorates. This is what is happening nowadays: let us `
` not deceive ourselves about it! Wherever the industrial spirit `
` has triumphed over the military and aristocratic spirit, woman `
` strives for the economic and legal independence of a clerk: `
` "woman as clerkess" is inscribed on the portal of the modern `
` society which is in course of formation. While she thus `
` appropriates new rights, aspires to be "master," and inscribes `
` "progress" of woman on her flags and banners, the very opposite `
` realises itself with terrible obviousness: WOMAN RETROGRADES. `
` Since the French Revolution the influence of woman in Europe has `
` DECLINED in proportion as she has increased her rights and `
` claims; and the "emancipation of woman," insofar as it is desired `
` and demanded by women themselves (and not only by masculine `
` shallow-pates), thus proves to be a remarkable symptom of the `
` increased weakening and deadening of the most womanly instincts. `
` There is STUPIDITY in this movement, an almost masculine `
` stupidity, of which a well-reared woman--who is always a sensible `
` woman--might be heartily ashamed. To lose the intuition as to the `
` ground upon which she can most surely achieve victory; to neglect `
` exercise in the use of her proper weapons; to let-herself-go `
` before man, perhaps even "to the book," where formerly she kept `
` herself in control and in refined, artful humility; to neutralize `
` with her virtuous audacity man's faith in a VEILED, fundamentally `
` different ideal in woman, something eternally, necessarily `
` feminine; to emphatically and loquaciously dissuade man from the `
` idea that woman must be preserved, cared for, protected, and `
` indulged, like some delicate, strangely wild, and often pleasant `
` domestic animal; the clumsy and indignant collection of `
` everything of the nature of servitude and bondage which the `
` position of woman in the hitherto existing order of society has `
` entailed and still entails (as though slavery were a counter- `
` argument, and not rather a condition of every higher culture, of `
` every elevation of culture):--what does all this betoken, if not `
` a disintegration of womanly instincts, a defeminising? Certainly, `
` there are enough of idiotic friends and corrupters of woman among `
` the learned asses of the masculine sex, who advise woman to `
` defeminize herself in this manner, and to imitate all the `
` stupidities from which "man" in Europe, European "manliness," `
` suffers,--who would like to lower woman to "general culture," `
` indeed even to newspaper reading and meddling with politics. Here `
` and there they wish even to make women into free spirits and `
` literary workers: as though a woman without piety would not be `
` something perfectly obnoxious or ludicrous to a profound and `
` godless man;--almost everywhere her nerves are being ruined by `
` the most morbid and dangerous kind of music (our latest German `
` music), and she is daily being made more hysterical and more `
` incapable of fulfilling her first and last function, that of `
` bearing robust children. They wish to "cultivate" her in general `
` still more, and intend, as they say, to make the "weaker sex" `
` STRONG by culture: as if history did not teach in the most `
` emphatic manner that the "cultivating" of mankind and his `
` weakening--that is to say, the weakening, dissipating, and `
` languishing of his FORCE OF WILL--have always kept pace with one `
` another, and that the most powerful and influential women in the `
` world (and lastly, the mother of Napoleon) had just to thank `
` their force of will--and not their schoolmasters--for their `
` power and ascendancy over men. That which inspires respect in `
` woman, and often enough fear also, is her NATURE, which is more `
` "natural" than that of man, her genuine, carnivora-like, cunning `
` flexibility, her tiger-claws beneath the glove, her NAIVETE in `
` egoism, her untrainableness and innate wildness, the `
` incomprehensibleness, extent, and deviation of her desires and `
` virtues. That which, in spite of fear, excites one's sympathy for `
` the dangerous and beautiful cat, "woman," is that she seems more `
` afflicted, more vulnerable, more necessitous of love, and more `
` condemned to disillusionment than any other creature. Fear and `
` sympathy it is with these feelings that man has hitherto stood in `
` the presence of woman, always with one foot already in tragedy, `
` which rends while it delights--What? And all that is now to be at `
` an end? And the DISENCHANTMENT of woman is in progress? The `
` tediousness of woman is slowly evolving? Oh Europe! Europe! We `
` know the horned animal which was always most attractive to thee, `
` from which danger is ever again threatening thee! Thy old fable `
` might once more become "history"--an immense stupidity might once `
` again overmaster thee and carry thee away! And no God concealed `
` beneath it--no! only an "idea," a "modern idea"! `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER VIII `
` `
` PEOPLES AND COUNTRIES `
` `
` `
` 240. I HEARD, once again for the first time, Richard Wagner's `
` overture to the Mastersinger: it is a piece of magnificent, `
` gorgeous, heavy, latter-day art, which has the pride to `
` presuppose two centuries of music as still living, in order that `
` it may be understood:--it is an honour to Germans that such a `
` pride did not miscalculate! What flavours and forces, what `
` seasons and climes do we not find mingled in it! It impresses us `
` at one time as ancient, at another time as foreign, bitter, and `
` too modern, it is as arbitrary as it is pompously traditional, it `
` is not infrequently roguish, still oftener rough and coarse--it `
` has fire and courage, and at the same time the loose, dun- `
` coloured skin of fruits which ripen too late. It flows broad and `
` full: and suddenly there is a moment of inexplicable hesitation, `
` like a gap that opens between cause and effect, an oppression `
` that makes us dream, almost a nightmare; but already it broadens `
` and widens anew, the old stream of delight-the most manifold `
` delight,--of old and new happiness; including ESPECIALLY the joy `
` of the artist in himself, which he refuses to conceal, his `
` astonished, happy cognizance of his mastery of the expedients `
` here employed, the new, newly acquired, imperfectly tested `
` expedients of art which he apparently betrays to us. All in all, `
` however, no beauty, no South, nothing of the delicate southern `
` clearness of the sky, nothing of grace, no dance, hardly a will `
` to logic; a certain clumsiness even, which is also emphasized, as `
` though the artist wished to say to us: "It is part of my `
` intention"; a cumbersome drapery, something arbitrarily barbaric `
` and ceremonious, a flirring of learned and venerable conceits and `
` witticisms; something German in the best and worst sense of the `
` word, something in the German style, manifold, formless, and `
` inexhaustible; a certain German potency and super-plenitude of `
` soul, which is not afraid to hide itself under the RAFFINEMENTS `
` of decadence--which, perhaps, feels itself most at ease there; a `
` real, genuine token of the German soul, which is at the same time `
` young and aged, too ripe and yet still too rich in futurity. This `
` kind of music expresses best what I think of the Germans: they `
` belong to the day before yesterday and the day after tomorrow-- `
` THEY HAVE AS YET NO TODAY. `
` `
` 241. We "good Europeans," we also have hours when we allow `
` ourselves a warm-hearted patriotism, a plunge and relapse into `
` old loves and narrow views--I have just given an example of it-- `
` hours of national excitement, of patriotic anguish, and all other `
` sorts of old-fashioned floods of sentiment. Duller spirits may `
` perhaps only get done with what confines its operations in us to `
` hours and plays itself out in hours--in a considerable time: some `
` in half a year, others in half a lifetime, according to the speed `
` and strength with which they digest and "change their material." `
` Indeed, I could think of sluggish, hesitating races, which even `
` in our rapidly moving Europe, would require half a century ere `
` they could surmount such atavistic attacks of patriotism and `
` soil-attachment, and return once more to reason, that is to say, `
` to "good Europeanism." And while digressing on this possibility, `
` I happen to become an ear-witness of a conversation between two `
` old patriots--they were evidently both hard of hearing and `
` consequently spoke all the louder. "HE has as much, and knows as `
` much, philosophy as a peasant or a corps-student," said the one-- `
` "he is still innocent. But what does that matter nowadays! It is `
` the age of the masses: they lie on their belly before everything `
` that is massive. And so also in politicis. A statesman who rears `
` up for them a new Tower of Babel, some monstrosity of empire and `
` power, they call 'great'--what does it matter that we more `
` prudent and conservative ones do not meanwhile give up the old `
` belief that it is only the great thought that gives greatness to `
` an action or affair. Supposing a statesman were to bring his `
` people into the position of being obliged henceforth to practise `
` 'high politics,' for which they were by nature badly endowed and `
` prepared, so that they would have to sacrifice their old and `
` reliable virtues, out of love to a new and doubtful mediocrity;-- `
` supposing a statesman were to condemn his people generally to `
` 'practise politics,' when they have hitherto had something better `
` to do and think about, and when in the depths of their souls they `
` have been unable to free themselves from a prudent loathing of `
` the restlessness, emptiness, and noisy wranglings of the `
` essentially politics-practising nations;--supposing such a `
` statesman were to stimulate the slumbering passions and avidities `
` of his people, were to make a stigma out of their former `
` diffidence and delight in aloofness, an offence out of their `
` exoticism and hidden permanency, were to depreciate their most `
`
` 238. To be mistaken in the fundamental problem of "man and `
` woman," to deny here the profoundest antagonism and the necessity `
` for an eternally hostile tension, to dream here perhaps of equal `
` rights, equal training, equal claims and obligations: that is a `
` TYPICAL sign of shallow-mindedness; and a thinker who has proved `
` himself shallow at this dangerous spot--shallow in instinct!--may `
` generally be regarded as suspicious, nay more, as betrayed, as `
` discovered; he will probably prove too "short" for all `
` fundamental questions of life, future as well as present, and `
` will be unable to descend into ANY of the depths. On the other `
` hand, a man who has depth of spirit as well as of desires, and `
` has also the depth of benevolence which is capable of severity `
` and harshness, and easily confounded with them, can only think of `
` woman as ORIENTALS do: he must conceive of her as a possession, `
` as confinable property, as a being predestined for service and `
` accomplishing her mission therein--he must take his stand in this `
` matter upon the immense rationality of Asia, upon the superiority `
` of the instinct of Asia, as the Greeks did formerly; those best `
` heirs and scholars of Asia--who, as is well known, with their `
` INCREASING culture and amplitude of power, from Homer to the time `
` of Pericles, became gradually STRICTER towards woman, in short, `
` more Oriental. HOW necessary, HOW logical, even HOW humanely `
` desirable this was, let us consider for ourselves! `
` `
` 239. The weaker sex has in no previous age been treated with so `
` much respect by men as at present--this belongs to the tendency `
` and fundamental taste of democracy, in the same way as `
` disrespectfulness to old age--what wonder is it that abuse should `
` be immediately made of this respect? They want more, they learn `
` to make claims, the tribute of respect is at last felt to be `
` well-nigh galling; rivalry for rights, indeed actual strife `
` itself, would be preferred: in a word, woman is losing modesty. `
` And let us immediately add that she is also losing taste. She is `
` unlearning to FEAR man: but the woman who "unlearns to fear" `
` sacrifices her most womanly instincts. That woman should venture `
` forward when the fear-inspiring quality in man--or more `
` definitely, the MAN in man--is no longer either desired or fully `
` developed, is reasonable enough and also intelligible enough; `
` what is more difficult to understand is that precisely thereby-- `
` woman deteriorates. This is what is happening nowadays: let us `
` not deceive ourselves about it! Wherever the industrial spirit `
` has triumphed over the military and aristocratic spirit, woman `
` strives for the economic and legal independence of a clerk: `
` "woman as clerkess" is inscribed on the portal of the modern `
` society which is in course of formation. While she thus `
` appropriates new rights, aspires to be "master," and inscribes `
` "progress" of woman on her flags and banners, the very opposite `
` realises itself with terrible obviousness: WOMAN RETROGRADES. `
` Since the French Revolution the influence of woman in Europe has `
` DECLINED in proportion as she has increased her rights and `
` claims; and the "emancipation of woman," insofar as it is desired `
` and demanded by women themselves (and not only by masculine `
` shallow-pates), thus proves to be a remarkable symptom of the `
` increased weakening and deadening of the most womanly instincts. `
` There is STUPIDITY in this movement, an almost masculine `
` stupidity, of which a well-reared woman--who is always a sensible `
` woman--might be heartily ashamed. To lose the intuition as to the `
` ground upon which she can most surely achieve victory; to neglect `
` exercise in the use of her proper weapons; to let-herself-go `
` before man, perhaps even "to the book," where formerly she kept `
` herself in control and in refined, artful humility; to neutralize `
` with her virtuous audacity man's faith in a VEILED, fundamentally `
` different ideal in woman, something eternally, necessarily `
` feminine; to emphatically and loquaciously dissuade man from the `
` idea that woman must be preserved, cared for, protected, and `
` indulged, like some delicate, strangely wild, and often pleasant `
` domestic animal; the clumsy and indignant collection of `
` everything of the nature of servitude and bondage which the `
` position of woman in the hitherto existing order of society has `
` entailed and still entails (as though slavery were a counter- `
` argument, and not rather a condition of every higher culture, of `
` every elevation of culture):--what does all this betoken, if not `
` a disintegration of womanly instincts, a defeminising? Certainly, `
` there are enough of idiotic friends and corrupters of woman among `
` the learned asses of the masculine sex, who advise woman to `
` defeminize herself in this manner, and to imitate all the `
` stupidities from which "man" in Europe, European "manliness," `
` suffers,--who would like to lower woman to "general culture," `
` indeed even to newspaper reading and meddling with politics. Here `
` and there they wish even to make women into free spirits and `
` literary workers: as though a woman without piety would not be `
` something perfectly obnoxious or ludicrous to a profound and `
` godless man;--almost everywhere her nerves are being ruined by `
` the most morbid and dangerous kind of music (our latest German `
` music), and she is daily being made more hysterical and more `
` incapable of fulfilling her first and last function, that of `
` bearing robust children. They wish to "cultivate" her in general `
` still more, and intend, as they say, to make the "weaker sex" `
` STRONG by culture: as if history did not teach in the most `
` emphatic manner that the "cultivating" of mankind and his `
` weakening--that is to say, the weakening, dissipating, and `
` languishing of his FORCE OF WILL--have always kept pace with one `
` another, and that the most powerful and influential women in the `
` world (and lastly, the mother of Napoleon) had just to thank `
` their force of will--and not their schoolmasters--for their `
` power and ascendancy over men. That which inspires respect in `
` woman, and often enough fear also, is her NATURE, which is more `
` "natural" than that of man, her genuine, carnivora-like, cunning `
` flexibility, her tiger-claws beneath the glove, her NAIVETE in `
` egoism, her untrainableness and innate wildness, the `
` incomprehensibleness, extent, and deviation of her desires and `
` virtues. That which, in spite of fear, excites one's sympathy for `
` the dangerous and beautiful cat, "woman," is that she seems more `
` afflicted, more vulnerable, more necessitous of love, and more `
` condemned to disillusionment than any other creature. Fear and `
` sympathy it is with these feelings that man has hitherto stood in `
` the presence of woman, always with one foot already in tragedy, `
` which rends while it delights--What? And all that is now to be at `
` an end? And the DISENCHANTMENT of woman is in progress? The `
` tediousness of woman is slowly evolving? Oh Europe! Europe! We `
` know the horned animal which was always most attractive to thee, `
` from which danger is ever again threatening thee! Thy old fable `
` might once more become "history"--an immense stupidity might once `
` again overmaster thee and carry thee away! And no God concealed `
` beneath it--no! only an "idea," a "modern idea"! `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER VIII `
` `
` PEOPLES AND COUNTRIES `
` `
` `
` 240. I HEARD, once again for the first time, Richard Wagner's `
` overture to the Mastersinger: it is a piece of magnificent, `
` gorgeous, heavy, latter-day art, which has the pride to `
` presuppose two centuries of music as still living, in order that `
` it may be understood:--it is an honour to Germans that such a `
` pride did not miscalculate! What flavours and forces, what `
` seasons and climes do we not find mingled in it! It impresses us `
` at one time as ancient, at another time as foreign, bitter, and `
` too modern, it is as arbitrary as it is pompously traditional, it `
` is not infrequently roguish, still oftener rough and coarse--it `
` has fire and courage, and at the same time the loose, dun- `
` coloured skin of fruits which ripen too late. It flows broad and `
` full: and suddenly there is a moment of inexplicable hesitation, `
` like a gap that opens between cause and effect, an oppression `
` that makes us dream, almost a nightmare; but already it broadens `
` and widens anew, the old stream of delight-the most manifold `
` delight,--of old and new happiness; including ESPECIALLY the joy `
` of the artist in himself, which he refuses to conceal, his `
` astonished, happy cognizance of his mastery of the expedients `
` here employed, the new, newly acquired, imperfectly tested `
` expedients of art which he apparently betrays to us. All in all, `
` however, no beauty, no South, nothing of the delicate southern `
` clearness of the sky, nothing of grace, no dance, hardly a will `
` to logic; a certain clumsiness even, which is also emphasized, as `
` though the artist wished to say to us: "It is part of my `
` intention"; a cumbersome drapery, something arbitrarily barbaric `
` and ceremonious, a flirring of learned and venerable conceits and `
` witticisms; something German in the best and worst sense of the `
` word, something in the German style, manifold, formless, and `
` inexhaustible; a certain German potency and super-plenitude of `
` soul, which is not afraid to hide itself under the RAFFINEMENTS `
` of decadence--which, perhaps, feels itself most at ease there; a `
` real, genuine token of the German soul, which is at the same time `
` young and aged, too ripe and yet still too rich in futurity. This `
` kind of music expresses best what I think of the Germans: they `
` belong to the day before yesterday and the day after tomorrow-- `
` THEY HAVE AS YET NO TODAY. `
` `
` 241. We "good Europeans," we also have hours when we allow `
` ourselves a warm-hearted patriotism, a plunge and relapse into `
` old loves and narrow views--I have just given an example of it-- `
` hours of national excitement, of patriotic anguish, and all other `
` sorts of old-fashioned floods of sentiment. Duller spirits may `
` perhaps only get done with what confines its operations in us to `
` hours and plays itself out in hours--in a considerable time: some `
` in half a year, others in half a lifetime, according to the speed `
` and strength with which they digest and "change their material." `
` Indeed, I could think of sluggish, hesitating races, which even `
` in our rapidly moving Europe, would require half a century ere `
` they could surmount such atavistic attacks of patriotism and `
` soil-attachment, and return once more to reason, that is to say, `
` to "good Europeanism." And while digressing on this possibility, `
` I happen to become an ear-witness of a conversation between two `
` old patriots--they were evidently both hard of hearing and `
` consequently spoke all the louder. "HE has as much, and knows as `
` much, philosophy as a peasant or a corps-student," said the one-- `
` "he is still innocent. But what does that matter nowadays! It is `
` the age of the masses: they lie on their belly before everything `
` that is massive. And so also in politicis. A statesman who rears `
` up for them a new Tower of Babel, some monstrosity of empire and `
` power, they call 'great'--what does it matter that we more `
` prudent and conservative ones do not meanwhile give up the old `
` belief that it is only the great thought that gives greatness to `
` an action or affair. Supposing a statesman were to bring his `
` people into the position of being obliged henceforth to practise `
` 'high politics,' for which they were by nature badly endowed and `
` prepared, so that they would have to sacrifice their old and `
` reliable virtues, out of love to a new and doubtful mediocrity;-- `
` supposing a statesman were to condemn his people generally to `
` 'practise politics,' when they have hitherto had something better `
` to do and think about, and when in the depths of their souls they `
` have been unable to free themselves from a prudent loathing of `
` the restlessness, emptiness, and noisy wranglings of the `
` essentially politics-practising nations;--supposing such a `
` statesman were to stimulate the slumbering passions and avidities `
` of his people, were to make a stigma out of their former `
` diffidence and delight in aloofness, an offence out of their `
` exoticism and hidden permanency, were to depreciate their most `
`