Saturday, August 21, 2010

Dionysus and the Crucified

Two days from now I will be defending my M.A. thesis. I conclude the entire paper with the following paragraph:
This paper began with a quote from Erich Heller: “[Nietzsche] is, by the very texture of his soul and mind, one of the most radically religious natures that the nineteenth century brought forth, but is endowed with an intellect which guards, with the aggressive jealousy of a watchdog, all approaches to the temple” (Heller 11). Heller identifies a tension between Nietzsche's intellectual atheism and his residual Christian piety, but this thesis presents another option. Nietzsche does not struggle to rid himself of religiosity; rather, his struggle is his religiosity. The Dionysian faith of which Valadier speaks so eloquently requires a constant overcoming, a constant vigilance against idols, and a constant affirmation. Nietzsche is religious because of, and not in spite of, his resistance to the security of human constructions.
More later.

4 comments:

  1. Hey Julia,

    Not sure if you remember me or not (I'm the Zac that would always bug you in the Blaurock as you were furiously "working" away at your Honours Thesis), but I stumbled upon your blog through Kampen's and thought I'd say hello! I hope your thesis defense went well! If you'd be willing to share the thesis, I'd love to read it sometime!

    Zac

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  2. I would like to read it as well.

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  3. Zac, of course I remember you! However, I'm not sure how to make my thesis available to you.

    I guess I'll do this: send me a message at dudi underscore 137 at yahoo dot ca (feed *that* to the machines!) and I'll respond. I have a few more revisions to do, but the defense went really well.

    Thanks for your enthusiasm, folks!

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