The Superman

Zarathustra

The Superman is Zarathustra's idealized vision and ultimate goal, a future being he preaches but never fully embodies.

The Higher Men

The Higher Men are flawed precursors who misunderstand the Superman, often mistaking their own petty ambitions for his greatness.

The Tarantulas

The Superman's affirmation of hierarchy and power directly contradicts the Tarantulas' doctrine of equality and revenge.

The Priests

The Superman's this-worldly self-overcoming directly invalidates the Priests' reliance on divine grace and afterlife.

Zarathustra

The Superman is Zarathustra's idealized vision and ultimate goal, a future being he preaches but never fully embodies.

The Tarantulas

The Superman's affirmation of hierarchy and power directly contradicts the Tarantulas' doctrine of equality and revenge.

The Higher Men

The Higher Men are flawed precursors who misunderstand the Superman, often mistaking their own petty ambitions for his greatness.

Zarathustra

The Superman is Zarathustra's idealized vision and ultimate goal, a future being he preaches but never fully embodies.

The Tarantulas

The Superman's affirmation of hierarchy and power directly contradicts the Tarantulas' doctrine of equality and revenge.

Part I: Zarathustra’s Discourses

The ideal of human self-overcoming that Zarathustra proclaims as the meaning of the earth.

Zarathustra's Prologue

Introduced as the goal of humanity, the meaning of the earth, and the opposite of the last man.

III

Zarathustra introduces the Superman as the meaning of the earth, a sea that can submerge great contempt, and a lightning and frenzy.

IV

The Superman is presented as the goal and lightning that Zarathustra heralds.

V

The crowd mockingly offers to give Zarathustra the Superman if he makes them into last men.

VI

Implied as the 'better one' the buffoon claims the rope dancer blocks; the rope dancer's fall contrasts with the Übermensch ideal.

VII

Referenced by Zarathustra as the sense of existence, the lightning out of the dark cloud of man.

The New Truth

Referenced as the goal toward which Zarathustra will guide his companions.

Zarathustra's Prologue

Zarathustra proclaims the Superman as the meaning of the earth, urging the crowd to overcome themselves.

Backworldsmen

Implied as the goal of overcoming: Zarathustra wishes for the sickly to become convalescents and overcomers, creating higher bodies.

IV: The Despisers of the Body

Referenced as the goal that the despisers of the body fail to become bridges to.

VI: The Pale Criminal

Referenced as the ultimate justification for survival and love, contrasting with the pale criminal's self-contempt.

VII: Reading and Writing

Implied as the ideal who writes with blood, climbs peaks, and dances beyond the spirit of gravity.

X: War and Warriors

Referenced as the highest thought: man is something to be surpassed, the goal of the warrior's striving.

The New Idol

Referenced as the rainbow and bridges beyond the state, the goal for great souls.

The Friend

Referenced as the ultimate goal toward which a friend should be an arrow and a longing.

XVI: Neighbour-Love

Referenced as the ultimate motive and goal of love, the friend as a foretaste of the Superman.

Old and Young Women

Zarathustra tells women to let their hope say: 'May I bear the Superman!'

Child and Marriage

Referenced as the ultimate goal that love and marriage should inspire longing for.

The Bestowing Virtue

Referenced as the goal of mankind, to be desired after the death of all gods.

II

Mentioned as the ultimate outcome of a chosen people who will arise from the lonesome ones.

III

Referenced as the goal of human striving after the death of the gods.

XXIII: The Child with the Mirror

Implicitly referenced as the ideal Zarathustra fears is being misrepresented by his enemies.

In the Happy Isles

Presented as the goal of human creation, whose beauty appears to Zarathustra as a shadow.

XXVI: The Priests

Referenced as the unattained ideal; Zarathustra states 'Never yet hath there been a Superman.'

XXIX: The Tarantulas

Zarathustra invokes his love for the Superman as the reason he cannot preach equality: 'What would be my love to the Superman, if I spake otherwise?'

XXXV: The Sublime Ones

Referenced as the 'superhero' that approaches the soul when the hero has abandoned it.

XXXIX: Poets

Mentioned as a 'gaudy puppet' set on clouds by poets, alongside Gods.

XLIII: Manly Prudence

Referenced as the distant goal that Zarathustra longs for; the 'highest men' would fear him as a devil.

II

Implied in the transfigured shepherd who laughs and overcomes the serpent.

II

Implied as the goal of the healthy selfishness and the powerful soul that Zarathustra celebrates.

LVI: Old and New Tables

Referenced as the goal beyond man, the bridge to be surpassed.

II

Implied as the creating one who gives the earth its meaning and future.

III

Referenced as the word Zarathustra picked up from the path, representing that man is something to be surpassed.

IV

Implied as the goal of surpassing man, the Übermensch is the horizon of Zarathustra's exhortation.

XXIV

Referenced as the ultimate aim of love and marriage.

XXVII

Implied as the goal beyond the good and just.

II

Referenced in the animals' speech as the one Zarathustra announces again to man.

The Higher Man

Referred to as the ultimate goal; Zarathustra declares that the Superman is his only concern, not man or the neighbor.

II

The desired goal after God's death, whom Zarathustra urges the higher men to live for.

III

The first and only thing at Zarathustra's heart; the goal beyond man.

V

Referenced as the goal for which the evilest is necessary.

III

Implied as the ideal that the poet's desires aim toward, beyond the herd.