When Nietzsche Wept (novel)
When Nietzsche Wept (orig. When Nietzsche Wept ) is a novel from 1994 by American author and professor emeritus of psychiatry Irvin Yalom. The protagonists of the fictional plot of the book are the people Friedrich Nietzsche and Josef Breuer, who meet in Vienna around 1882. More real historical side characters of the story are the students Breuer, Sigmund Freud and Lou Andreas - Salomé. Other people, however, do not play any active role, but only by their relation to the main characters have importance in the plot, are Breuer's patient Bertha Pappenheim, the philosopher Paul Ree and Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth Förster - Nietzsche.
Action
The friend of Nietzsche and admirer of his work, Lou Andreas - Salomé, which combines a differently understood triangular relationship with Nietzsche and the philosopher Paul Ree has heard of a new treatment to cure ' mental suffering ' of the respected Jewish doctor Josef Breuer. The confident young woman falls in Breuer's practice in Vienna and want this win for it to treat under the guise of therapy of Nietzsche's physical infirmity whose mental suffering. Fascinated by Salomé person Breuer agrees, after some initial resistance in the conspiracy and begin treatment after Nietzsche could be persuaded to come to Vienna.
Breuer is a month the physical problems of Nietzsche, down force the regular debilitating bouts of severe headache, because of which he is a restless traveler in search of climatic conditions that will allow him a normal life and work, become, cure, while Nietzsche Breuer own emotional problems ( dissatisfaction with his life, which is revealed by a secret obsession for the entrusted patient Bertha Pappenheim ) is designed to help solve.
The two now run as part of the treatment daily philosophical discussions, but - have therapeutic effect - also. During the month of treatment Breuer wants then how he Sigmund Freud, his younger colleague and friend, explains Nietzsche's win trust, and then change the role to, in turn penetrate to Nietzsche's mental problems.
The project initially successful, and by the conversations the two men combines a constantly intensifying relationship. However, the relationship between therapist and treated converts not work as intended. Instead, Breuer embarks itself increasingly in the role of the treated patients, since it is aware of Nietzsche's unrelenting sense of the truth and its condemnation of self-deception of the true extent of dissatisfaction with his life.
Nietzsche, has led its relentless search for truth and turning away from any self-deception and weakness in a personal dilemma of loneliness and despair, this is the opposite of the equally desperate Breuer, the structures of his socially stable life have become shackles. At the time of his 40th birthday Breuer has a disturbing dream it. He sees it as no longer a young man, who sees the end of his personal fulfillment and development opportunity. His family, he feels a burden. To his wife he has lost the emotional connection.
The culmination of the story from which the reader learns after the fact that in truth it is a hypnotic experience, the outbreak Breuer from his life, leaving behind his family and all social ties by leaving Vienna to enroll in a other city Bertha open turn. He recognizes the price of freedom and the value of his real life.
At the end of the action Breuer accepts his life and returns to his family and social environment back while Nietzsche remains alone to turn to the writing of his work Thus Spoke Zarathustra. But Nietzsche also benefited from this encounter, by and in which he recognizes the value of human affection.
Importance
Woven into the fictional plot are key quotes from Nietzsche's work and influence. The following quotes: Become You, Man loves his last desire and not what is desired and a secure life is dangerous! Yalom used one hand to interpret the person Nietzsche's psychological, on the other hand, to thematically to fix the fundamental opposites, but also the similarities between the two main characters and ultimately the parts of the personality, the different degrees wrestle in everyone.
People
- Josef Breuer is a practicing in Vienna, recognized Jewish doctor who agrees to treat Nietzsche's mental suffering without his knowledge on a pretext.
- Friedrich Nietzsche, a philosopher, has its relentless search for truth and the renunciation of self-deception and weakness in a personal dilemma of loneliness and despair out.
- Sigmund Freud, who is to be the founder of psychoanalysis later, confidant and friend of his mentor and promoter Breuer.
- Lou Andreas - Salomé connects with Nietzsche and the philosopher Paul Ree a complex love triangle, which is especially conceived differently by Nietzsche and Salomé. They persuaded Breuer to the conspiracy to treat Nietzsche.
- Bertha Pappenheim Breuer's patient is one who has experienced (the " talking cure " ) through their case Lou Salomé of Breuer's treatment, and has developed into one of the Breuer not lived out, bordering on obsession relationship.
Filming
- When Nietzsche Wept (2007)