Nietzsche contra Wagner

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Nietzsche contra Wagner is a critical essay by Friedrich Nietzsche, written in his last year of lucidity (1888-1889). It was not published until 1895, six years after Nietzsche's mental collapse. In it Nietzsche describes why he parted ways with his one-time idol and friend, Richard Wagner. Nietzsche attacks Wagner's views in this short work, expressing disappointment and frustration in Wagner's life choices (such as his conversion to Christianity, perceived as a sign of weakness). Nietzsche evaluates Wagner's philosophy on tonality, music and art; he admires Wagner's power to emote and express himself, but largely disdains what Nietzsche calls his religious biases.

It is an important work for several reasons. For one, it illustrates Nietzsche's evolution from a younger philosopher, fawning over Wagner's compelling life, to an intensely inquiring, more mature one after profound disillusionment. Another reason is it questions any conception that would label Nietzsche as anti-Semitic, as it is oft supposed, and instead opens the view of how complex Nietzsche's stance is on these issues: "[Wagner] had condescended step by step to everything I despise—even to anti-Semitism."