The Birth of Tragedy; or, Hellenism and Pessimism — Nietzsche — John Shaqi
The Birth of Tragedy; or, Hellenism and Pessimism
Nietzsche · en
Should it have been established by our analysis that the Apollonian
element in tragedy has by means of its illusion gained a complete
victory over the Dionysian primordial element of music, and has made
music itself subservient to its end, namely, the highest and clearest
elucidation of the drama, it would certainly be necessary to add the
very important restriction: that at the most essential point this
Apollonian illusion is dissolved and annihilated. The drama, which, by
the aid of music, spreads out before us with such inwardly illumined
distinctness in all its movements and figures, that we imagine we
see the texture unfolding on the loom as the shuttle flies to and
fro,--attains as a whole an effect which _transcends all Apollonian
artistic effects._ In the collective effect of tragedy, the Dionysian
gets the upper hand once more; tragedy ends with a sound which could
never emanate from the realm of Apollonian art. And the Apollonian
illusion is thereby found to be what it is,--the assiduous veiling
during the performance of tragedy of the intrinsically Dionysian
effect: which, however, is so powerful, that it finally forces
the Apollonian drama itself into a sphere where it begins to talk
with Dionysian wisdom, and even denies itself and its Apollonian
conspicuousness. Thus then the intricate relation of the Apollonian and
the Dionysian in tragedy must really be symbolised by a fraternal union
of the two deities: Dionysus speaks the language of Apollo; Apollo,
however, finally speaks the language of Dionysus; and so the highest
goal of tragedy and of art in general is attained.
22.