Thus Spoke Zarathustra · Chapter
The Drunken Song explained
In the aftermath of the day's events, the higher men gather outside Zarathustra's cave under the night sky.
What happens
In the aftermath of the day's events, the higher men gather outside Zarathustra's cave under the night sky. The ugliest man expresses contentment with life and a desire for its recurrence, prompting a joyful transformation among the higher men. Zarathustra, overcome, leads them into a mystical midnight meditation on the nature of joy, woe, and eternity, culminating in his roundelay affirming that joy wants deep, profound eternity.
Themes in this chapter
Eternal Recurrence
The ugliest man's wish for life 'Once more' and Zarathustra's roundelay explicitly affirm the eternal recurrence of all things, especially joy.
Pity and Contempt
Zarathustra respects the higher men's happiness and silence, refraining from speaking aloud, showing a nuanced approach to pity.
The Body and the Earth
The ugliest man declares love for the earth, and the chapter celebrates earthly life, night, and physical joy.
Characters to notice
- Zarathustra
Leads the ugliest man into the night, becomes drunken and visionary, delivers the midnight song on joy and eternity.
- The Ugliest Man
Expresses contentment with life and a wish for its recurrence, triggering the higher men's transformation.
- The Higher Men
Rush to Zarathustra in gratitude, laughing and weeping, and participate in the midnight celebration.
- The Soothsayer
Dances with delight, full of sweet life, having renounced weariness.
- The Ass
Mentioned as possibly dancing after being given wine by the ugliest man.
Key passages
“Was that —life? will I say unto death. ‘Well! Once more!’”
The ugliest man declares that if life were to end now, he would gladly live it all over again.
This expresses the core of eternal recurrence: affirming life so fully that one desires its repetition.
“Pain is also a joy, curse is also a blessing, night is also a sun—go away! or ye will learn that a sage is also a fool.”
Zarathustra teaches that opposites are united in the deeper reality of joy and eternity, and that wisdom may appear as folly.
Highlights the paradoxical unity of joy and woe central to the chapter's philosophy.
“Joys all want eternity—, —Want deep, profound eternity!”
Joy itself desires not just momentary pleasure but everlasting recurrence.
The concluding line of Zarathustra's roundelay, encapsulating the theme of eternal recurrence.