Beyond Good and Evil · Chapter
135 explained
The chapter presents a brief, aphoristic challenge to conventional moral judgment, arguing that Pharisaism—often seen as hypocritical self-righteousness—is not a corruption of goodness but rather a fundamental component of it.
What happens
The chapter presents a brief, aphoristic challenge to conventional moral judgment, arguing that Pharisaism—often seen as hypocritical self-righteousness—is not a corruption of goodness but rather a fundamental component of it.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The passage reveals the Wanderer's ultimate psychological exhaustion with seeking truth, climaxing in his desp…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Psychology as the Fundamental Science
The aphorism performs a psychological unmasking, re-evaluating a supposedly negative moral trait (hypocrisy/Pharisaism) as a necessary condition for its opposite, challenging surface-level moral judgments.
- Critique of Modernity
Indirectly critiques modern, simplistic moral dichotomies (good vs. hypocritical) by revealing a more complex, intertwined psychological reality beneath moral concepts.
Key passages
“Pharisaism is not a deterioration of the good man; a considerable part of it is rather an essential condition of being good.”
Hypocrisy or self-righteousness isn't a falling away from virtue; to a large degree, it is a necessary prerequisite for being considered virtuous.
Inverts the common moral condemnation of Pharisaism, positing it as structurally necessary within the system of 'goodness' itself.
