39.
“transvaluation of all values” *
Nietzsche perceived the moral framework of Christian civilization to be oppressive:
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Reproduction derided as sinful
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Life as a mere investment for the hollow promise of an illustrious afterlife
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Death valued over life
Transvaluation would mean the exaltation of life rather than the exaltation of suffering, and an acceptance of every instinct or lust as organic and therefore valid, and so beyond the scope of moral condemnation. What one desires would be merely what one desires, rather than either sinful or pious. What one desires would be the product of stimuli rather than the product of "will".
This is elaborated in The Antichrist, where he asserts that Christianity, not merely as a religion but also as the predominant moral system of the Western world, inverts nature, and is "hostile to life". As "the religion of pity", it elevates the weak over the strong, exalting that which is "ill-constituted and weak" at the expense of that which is full of life and vitality. He unfavourably compares Christianity to Buddhism: Christianity is "the struggle against sin", whereas Buddhism is "the struggle against suffering". Similarly, Nietzsche contrasts 19th-century European morality to that of pre-Christian Greek civilization.
40.
“Superman”: *
Zarathustra declares 'God is dead' and can no longer provide man with values; now he must create his own value system, to replace Christian moral codes while also avoiding nihilism. They must be motivated by a love of this world & of life (as against the Christian values reacting against life and hence destructive). The new values of the Übermensch will be life-affirming & creative. Zarathustra first announces the Übermensch as a goal humanity can set for itself. All human life would be given meaning by how it advanced a new generation of human beings. The aspiration of a woman would be to give birth to an Übermensch; her relationships with men would be judged by this standard.
41.
Ibsen’s women-problem: *
The problem play is a form of drama that emerged during the 19th century as part of the wider movement of realism in the arts (especially following the innovations of Ibsen) and deals with contentious social issues through debates between the characters on stage, who typically represent conflicting points of view within a realistic social context.