--- product_id: 1695173 title: "The Birth of Tragedy: Out of the Spirit of Music (Penguin Classics)" price: "VT5371" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/1695173-the-birth-of-tragedy-out-of-the-spirit-of-music store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The Birth of Tragedy: Out of the Spirit of Music (Penguin Classics) **Price:** VT5371 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Birth of Tragedy: Out of the Spirit of Music (Penguin Classics) - **How much does it cost?** VT5371 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/1695173-the-birth-of-tragedy-out-of-the-spirit-of-music) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Birth of Tragedy: Out of the Spirit of Music (Penguin Classics) [Nietzsche, Friedrich, Tanner, Michael, Whiteside, Shaun] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Birth of Tragedy: Out of the Spirit of Music (Penguin Classics) Review: Tragedy and its relation to Myth and Music - How did it happen that during the ascendency of Greek civilization - the very foundation of Western civilization as we know it - a dramatic art form expressing the most terrible tragedies was entertained? And how was it that during the pinnacle of that culture this tragic art form declined and its elements went underground? The author is not inclined to gloss over the essential tragedy inherent in human existence. The destruction of the individual is inevitable, and all individuation eventually causes suffering. He proceeds through the mythic context (the mythic context being essential to the Greek world view) of the gods Apollo and Dionysius. Apollo includes dream imagery, illusion, or anything that involves form; on the other hand, Dionysius includes intoxication, ecstasy, primal oneness, and the energy of music. They may be conceived as distinct and opposing, but it's their complementary state that spells balance and substance in art. Nietzsche states, "The same impulse that is symbolized in Apollo gave birth to the entire Olympian world." The Olympians consisted of a pantheon of twelve gods and goddesses who had wrested control from the Titans, an older pantheon that represented the barbarism of Nature. Apollo was a mainstay of the Olympians, but Dionysius grew out of a cult religion and was only added later. Nietzsche states that the Greeks, being quite aware of the horrors of existence, felt compelled "to interpose the radiant dream-birth of the Olympians between themselves and these horrors". From that "radiant dream-birth" grew the myths. The book does not go into extensive detail about the myths featured in the tragedies, not like a scholarly work would; but a very important myth that it does touch on is the Prometheus myth of stealing fire from the gods. Stealing fire was like stealing power and control, and represented a defiance of divinity. Not much can be gleaned of Greek music, but we do know that the dramatic dithyramb (the word is derived from the Greek), sung and danced by a chorus in honor of Dionysius, was a basis of what became Attic tragedy. It was the music that made the tragedy bearable and elevated it; and it was the music that rose out of tragedy in the spirit of Dionysius. The author links the decline of tragedy to what he sees as an over-reliance on reason and logic, which he pins squarely on Socrates. This over-reliance brings about an optimism that cannot be justified in life and therefore rings hollow in all art forms; and is not fertile ground for tragic dramatic art. The arguments very much tend toward the polemical, most notably in the linking of Socrates and Euripides with the decline of Greek tragedy. Here, Nietzsche tends to think about the overreach of reason and logic during the nineteenth century rather than the tremendous achievement and significance of Greek thinkers such as Socrates during ancient times. Some sections of the book are particularly speculative such as his musings on lyric poetry and the rebirth of tragedy. He, himself, in his self-criticism of this book disparaged his youthful enthusiasm, especially in regard for Richard Wagner's music. But despite the criticism of this book, it's insights, especially concerning myth, art and tragedy, make it definitely worth reading more than once. Review: The Birth of Tragedy - This book does what I love most about philosophy, which is to notice and describe the magic in life. Although I don’t agree with all of the ideas in the book, it has had a profound impact on my existence and has made me feel connected to this world. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #26,209 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #7 in Philosophy Aesthetics #7 in Drama Literary Criticism #21 in Modern Western Philosophy | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (547) | | Dimensions | 5.08 x 0.39 x 7.8 inches | | Edition | unknown | | ISBN-10 | 0140433392 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0140433395 | | Item Weight | 4.4 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 160 pages | | Publication date | January 1, 1994 | | Publisher | Penguin Classics | ## Images ![The Birth of Tragedy: Out of the Spirit of Music (Penguin Classics) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61zrzqHfhvL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tragedy and its relation to Myth and Music *by K***R on October 6, 2013* How did it happen that during the ascendency of Greek civilization - the very foundation of Western civilization as we know it - a dramatic art form expressing the most terrible tragedies was entertained? And how was it that during the pinnacle of that culture this tragic art form declined and its elements went underground? The author is not inclined to gloss over the essential tragedy inherent in human existence. The destruction of the individual is inevitable, and all individuation eventually causes suffering. He proceeds through the mythic context (the mythic context being essential to the Greek world view) of the gods Apollo and Dionysius. Apollo includes dream imagery, illusion, or anything that involves form; on the other hand, Dionysius includes intoxication, ecstasy, primal oneness, and the energy of music. They may be conceived as distinct and opposing, but it's their complementary state that spells balance and substance in art. Nietzsche states, "The same impulse that is symbolized in Apollo gave birth to the entire Olympian world." The Olympians consisted of a pantheon of twelve gods and goddesses who had wrested control from the Titans, an older pantheon that represented the barbarism of Nature. Apollo was a mainstay of the Olympians, but Dionysius grew out of a cult religion and was only added later. Nietzsche states that the Greeks, being quite aware of the horrors of existence, felt compelled "to interpose the radiant dream-birth of the Olympians between themselves and these horrors". From that "radiant dream-birth" grew the myths. The book does not go into extensive detail about the myths featured in the tragedies, not like a scholarly work would; but a very important myth that it does touch on is the Prometheus myth of stealing fire from the gods. Stealing fire was like stealing power and control, and represented a defiance of divinity. Not much can be gleaned of Greek music, but we do know that the dramatic dithyramb (the word is derived from the Greek), sung and danced by a chorus in honor of Dionysius, was a basis of what became Attic tragedy. It was the music that made the tragedy bearable and elevated it; and it was the music that rose out of tragedy in the spirit of Dionysius. The author links the decline of tragedy to what he sees as an over-reliance on reason and logic, which he pins squarely on Socrates. This over-reliance brings about an optimism that cannot be justified in life and therefore rings hollow in all art forms; and is not fertile ground for tragic dramatic art. The arguments very much tend toward the polemical, most notably in the linking of Socrates and Euripides with the decline of Greek tragedy. Here, Nietzsche tends to think about the overreach of reason and logic during the nineteenth century rather than the tremendous achievement and significance of Greek thinkers such as Socrates during ancient times. Some sections of the book are particularly speculative such as his musings on lyric poetry and the rebirth of tragedy. He, himself, in his self-criticism of this book disparaged his youthful enthusiasm, especially in regard for Richard Wagner's music. But despite the criticism of this book, it's insights, especially concerning myth, art and tragedy, make it definitely worth reading more than once. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Birth of Tragedy *by T***Y on May 16, 2019* This book does what I love most about philosophy, which is to notice and describe the magic in life. Although I don’t agree with all of the ideas in the book, it has had a profound impact on my existence and has made me feel connected to this world. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful book *by S***M on June 9, 2025* This is a beautiful book both inside and out . This was a wonderful gift for my friend . He loved it ! ## Frequently Bought Together - The Birth of Tragedy: Out of the Spirit of Music (Penguin Classics) - Beyond Good and Evil (Penguin Classics) - Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for Everyone and No One (Penguin Classics) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/1695173-the-birth-of-tragedy-out-of-the-spirit-of-music](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/1695173-the-birth-of-tragedy-out-of-the-spirit-of-music) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-05-13*