# The Soothsayer — Thus Spoke Zarathustra character guide

> The Soothsayer in Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0055-part-ii-xli-the-soothsayer

## Snapshot

A weary prophet who spreads the doctrine that all meaning has died and every goal is now worthless, testing whether Zarathustra's joy can survive its own diagnosis.

## Who they are

He appears among Zarathustra's guests as the voice of nihilism made personal, preaching that everything is empty, everything is past, and nothing is worth willing anymore. His quiet, seductive despair is the precise sickness Zarathustra's teaching exists to cure, which makes him both the most dangerous guest and the most instructive. When he casts his spell over the cave, the story's central wager — can life be affirmed after God's death? — becomes a fight for the room.

## Relationships

### [Zarathustra](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/characters/zarathustra)

_rivalry_

The Soothsayer represents nihilistic prophecy and despair, directly opposing Zarathustra's message of life-affirmation.

### [The Higher Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/characters/the_higher_men)

_psychological_

The Soothsayer preaches despair to the Higher Men, exploiting their weaknesses and pulling them toward nihilism.

### [Zarathustra](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/characters/zarathustra)

_rivalry_

The Soothsayer represents nihilistic prophecy and despair, directly opposing Zarathustra's message of life-affirmation.

### [Zarathustra](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/characters/zarathustra)

_rivalry_

The Soothsayer represents nihilistic prophecy and despair, directly opposing Zarathustra's message of life-affirmation.

### [The Higher Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/characters/the_higher_men)

_psychological_

The Soothsayer preaches despair to the Higher Men, exploiting their weaknesses and pulling them toward nihilism.

## In the story

### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/viii)

Not present; no soothsayer appears in this chapter.

### [XLI: The Soothsayer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-ii-xli-the-soothsayer)

Delivers a prophecy of universal emptiness and weariness, which transforms Zarathustra's mood and leads to his dream.

### [XLII: Redemption](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-ii-xlii-redemption)

Not directly present, but the discussion of madness and eternal recurrence echoes the soothsayer's earlier prophecies.

### [The Convalescent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-iii-lvii-the-convalescent)

Referenced for his prophecy 'All is alike, nothing is worth while, knowledge strangleth' which haunted Zarathustra.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-iii-ii)

Referenced for his presage: 'All is alike, nothing is worth while, knowledge strangleth.'

### [The Cry of Distress](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-iv-lxii-the-cry-of-distress)

Arrives as a visitor, proclaims the cry of distress, and attempts to seduce Zarathustra to pity.

### [LXXI: The Greeting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-iv-lxxi-the-greeting)

Makes signs with his hands and gestures when Zarathustra stops speaking, overcome by longing.

### [LXXII: The Supper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-iv-lxxii-the-supper)

Demands wine and food, interrupting the greeting.

### [The Drunken Song](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-iv-lxxix-the-drunken-song)

Dances with delight, full of sweet life, having renounced weariness.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-iv-i)

Dances with delight, full of sweet wine and sweet life, having renounced all weariness.

### [LXXX: The Sign](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/chapters/part-iv-lxxx-the-sign)

Recalled by Zarathustra as having foretold the great cry of distress and tempted him to his last sin.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/characters/the_soothsayer
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/thus_spoke_zarathustra_se/characters