Goethe, Nietzsche, and Wagner

Exploring Goethe's Faust through a Spinozan lens reveals its thematic ties to pantheistic naturalism. The author argues that Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung and Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra attempt to build upon Goethe's legacy by crafting their own epics of love and power, aiming to replace Christian narratives in Western literature. While these new works struggle with thematic coherence, the author illustrates their individual unity and interconnections, emphasizing a return to humanity's bond with nature, challenging the alienation imposed by Christianity.