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Tragedy Balances Truth And Illusion
- Nietzsche saw Greek tragedy as balancing a harsh Dionysian truth with Apollonian illusion to make life energizing yet bearable.
- The Apollonian veil gives shape and intelligibility to chaotic reality so culture can flourish.
Socrates Killed Tragedy's Cultural Role
- Nietzsche blamed Socrates for replacing vital illusions with rationalizing thought, which killed classical tragedy's role.
- He thought modernity might allow a rebirth of tragic art once Christian-Socratic dominance waned.
Nietzsche's Falling Out With Wagner
- Nietzsche initially hailed Wagner's music dramas as a modern rebirth of Greek tragedy and promoted him enthusiastically.
- He soon fell out with Wagner and re-evaluated that artistic hope as misguided.