LIB461
Wagner and Nietzsche: Dearest Foes
The relationship between Richard Wagner and Friedrich Nietzsche is a rare case of a great composer influencing a major philosopher. As a young man, Nietzsche admired Wagner's music and was a regular guest in the composer's household. Their relationship cooled around the time of Wagner’s first Bayreuth Ring cycle (1876). After Wagner's death in 1883, Nietzsche began to publish hostile criticisms of Wagner and his work. How do we explain this about-face? We’ll discuss the music and ideas of Wagner’s mature dramas (Tristan and Isolde, The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, Parsifal) and the writings of Nietzsche to help us understand the tempestuous relationship between these two creative thinkers.
A $50 discount will be applied automatically for adults 55+.
Please note a course day-of-week change: This course will be offered at Harbour Centre on Tuesdays, Sep 10 - Oct 15, from 1:30 - 3:20 p.m.
Overview
Location: Vancouver
Duration: 6 weeks
Tuition: $180
Can be applied to:
Liberal Arts for 55+ Certificate
Upcoming Offerings
Currently not available for registration.
Course outline
- Week 1: Schopenhauer as educator
Wagner and Nietzsche initially bond over their common enthusiasm for the philosophy of Schopenhauer, whose ideas are especially prominent in the text and music of Tristan and Isolde and The Mastersingers of Nuremberg. - Week 2: The Birth of Tragedy
While Wagner is completing his monumental Ring cycle, Nietzsche completes his first book—The Birth of Tragedy Out of the Spirit of Music—a work dedicated to (and heavily influenced by) Wagner. - Week 3: Richard Wagner in Bayreuth
The breach between the two men begins around the time of the first Bayreuth Ring cycle, in the summer of 1876. - Week 4: The case of Wagner
Nietzsche's hostile reaction to the Christian symbolism of Wagner’s last opera, Parsifal. - Week 5: The twilight of the idols
After Wagner’s death, Nietzsche begins writing and publishing scurrilous attacks against his erstwhile mentor. - Week 6: Nietzsche contra Wagner
A summary of the philosophical and psychological explanations for the falling-out between these two giants, and a comparison of their respective legacies.
What you will learn
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- Understand the relationship between Wagner and Nietzsche and how their friendship grew, then faltered
- Identify the ways in which Wagner the composer influenced Nietzsche the philosopher
- Recognize the music and ideas in Wagner’s mature operas
- Reflect on the reasons Nietzsche began to criticize his former mentor
How you will learn
- Lectures
- Participation in discussions
- Supplementary resources accessed through Canvas
- Reflective essay (applicable only to certificate students)
Learning Materials
No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.
Technical Requirements
Handouts and other course resources will be available on Canvas, SFU’s online learning system.
To access the resources, you should be comfortable with:
- Using everyday software such as browsers, email and social media
- Navigating a website by clicking on links and finding pages in a menu
- Downloading and opening PDF documents