NIETZSCHE ON WOMAN

Was Nietzsche a sexist, a “male chauvinist,”a misogynist? In the eyes of many, Nietzsche is one philosopher for whom the question should not even be asked, as if there were any question. Is not Nietzsche surely one of the more striking examples o f a male philosopher perpetuating a male-dominated culture by arguing for the inferiority of women? I don’t think so. With some trepidation, I would like to engage this delicate matter, and take issue with the claim that Nietzsche’s views on women reflect “all-too-human prejudices” which are therefore “philosophically irrelevant,”’ and even attempt the impossible: argue for Nietzsche’s “feminism”! Was Nietzsche a sexist? If “sexism” means a belief in necessary and essential differences between the sexes, the answer is a qualified yes. If it means a belief in masculine superiority (i.e., “male chauvinism”), the answer is definitely no; in fact, a good case can be made for feminine superiority. If western culture reflects masculine domination, we will see that Nietzsche presents a decidedly “non-western” view of the masculine-feminine relation and the priorities disclosed in the nature of that relation. Like all facets of Nietzsche’s philosophy, his thoughts on woman demand a careful reading, with an eye out for links to other aspects of his thinking. We will begin with the longest single treatment of the issue in Nietzsche’s writings, found in Part Seven of Beyond Good and Evil (BGE), sections 231-239.2 Two important points in section 231 must be noted at the outset: (1) He speaks of “woman as such” (Weib an sich), not “women.”3 I take this t o be an indication that Nietzsche is pursuing something deeper than sexual differences. Hereafter, the term“woman” is meant t o be synonymous with “the feminine” (Weiblichkeit), a principle which is neither biological nor sociological but arche~ypal .~ ( 2 ) Nietzsche identifies the thoughts to come as “my truths.” Some might take this t o be a philosophical disclaimer, or relief for the serious reader, i.e., that what follows is a rather idiosyncratic indulgence with no importance beyond a subjective profile of the author. But although Nietzsche was a playful writer, he was never without serious intention. In my view, before we can judge Nietzsche‘s thoughts on woman we must first attempt to see how they fit his thought as a whole. Let us begin by quoting a good portion of the sections in question: