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TheTwinSoulsofOscarWildeandFriedrich
Nietzsche
YahiaLababidimeditatesontheaestheticsandethicsoftwogreatcontrarians.
Theexternalsoftheirlivescouldnotbemoredifferent.Onewasacelebratedwitanddramatist,theother
areclusivephilosopherwholivedandwroteinrelativeobscurityyettovaryingextentsandwithvarying
results,boththoughtofthemselvesaspoets.Bothalso,intheirways,concernedthemselveswith
foundingaphilosophygroundedintheartofliving,turnedtoAncientGreecefortheiraestheticideal,
andconsideredcontemporaryFrancetheheirtoitssensualsophistication.Naturalbornprovocateurs,
theywerebothincorrigibleculturalagitatorswhoreservedsomeoftheirmostwitheringcriticismfor
theirsocalledcountrymen.Althoughcontemporaries,theywereprobablyunawareofeachother,yet
bothcameintheirflamboyantpersonasandutterancestoembodythetensionsandantagonismsoffinde
sicleEurope.
Inliterature,contenttendstodictateform,soitisnotwithoutsignificancethatWildeandNietzsche
expressedthemselvesinsimilarfashion:inaphorisms,epigramsandmaxims.Theseformswere
practicallyinventedbypreSocraticGreekphilosophersandmasteredbyFrenchmoralists.Vastthoughts
couldbecarriedcondensedinthesedeceptivelyslightvessels.Moreover,theirpithyphrasingensured
thattheywerememorable:Whoeverwritesinbloodandaphorismsdoesnotwanttobereadbuttobe
learnedbyheart.Inthemountainstheshortestwayisfrompeaktopeak:butforthatonemusthavelong
legs.Aphorismsshouldbepeaksandthosewhoareaddressed,tallandlofty,asNietzschewritesin
Zarathustra.OrinTwilightoftheIdolsheputsitthisway:Aphorisms,ofwhichIamthefirstmaster
amongGermans,aretheformsofeternitymyambitionistosayintensentenceswhateveryoneelse
saysinabookwhateveryoneelsedoesnotsayinabook.Asastylist,Nietzschefelthewassogood
hespoiledthetastesofhisreaders,sincetheycouldenjoynooneafterhimandthat,alongwiththepoet
Heine,hewouldberegardedasthegreateststylistintheGermanlanguage(helateraddedGoethetothis
exclusivelist).Wildesharedthisincrediblyhighestimationofhimself,oncefamouslyreplyingOnly
mygeniustoaUScustomsofficialsstandardquestion,Doyouhaveanythingtodeclare?Inhislong
letterfromprison,DeProfundis,Wildesurveyedhislifesworkapprovingly:Ihadsummedupall
systemsinasentenceandexistenceinanepigram.But,braggadocioaside,itisastoundinghownearly
indistinguishablesomeofNietzschesandWildesaphorismsarealmostinterchangeableinformand
substance.Forexamples:
Whatfiredoesnotdestroyithardens.Wilde
Whatdoesnotkillmemakesmestronger.Nietzsche
Thesimpletruth,isthatnotadoublelie?Nietzsche
Thetruthisrarelypureandneversimple.Wilde.
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Publicopinionsexistsonlywheretherearenoideas.Wilde
Tosayitagain,Publicopinions,privatelaziness.Nietzsche
Wepossessartlestweperishofthetruth.Nietzsche
Thetellingofbeautifuluntruethingsistheproperaimofart.Wilde
Conscienceandcowardicearereallythesamethings.Wilde
Nottoperpetratecowardiceagainstonesownacts!Nottoleavetheminthelurch
afterwards!Thebiteofconscienceisindecent.Nietzsche
Discontentisthefirststepintheprogressofamanornation.Wilde
Everygreatprogressmustbeprecededbyapartialweakening.Nietzsche
Theseareheavywordslightlythrown,intendednotsomuchtorevealthewriterastoestablishapersona.
Personaliterallymeanstosoundthrough(permeaningthroughandsonameaningsound)because
Greekactorsspokethroughamask(whichiswhatapersonaoriginallywas).Giveamanamaskand
heshalltellyouthetruth,WildewritesinhisPlatonicdialogueTheCriticasArtist.Nietzschetoo,
admits,Everyprofoundspiritneedsamaskandtalkingmuchaboutoneselfcanalsobeameansto
concealoneself.Surprisingly,theseeminglydisparatepersonasWildeandNietzschecreatedandsent
outintotheworldcametospelloutcoherent(albeitfluid)philosophies.Whatsmore,thesecrowded
personassharemanykeyfeatures.

Style
OneofthecentraltenetsthatbothNietzschesandWildesphilosophiespivoteduponwasthe
importanceofstyle.Inanaphorismentitled,Onethingisneedful,Nietzschestateshisstrategy:To
givestyletoonescharacteragreatandrareart!Heexercisesitwhosurveysallthathisnaturepresents
instrengthandweaknessandthenmouldsittoanartisticplanuntileverythingappearsasartandreason,
andeventheweaknessesdelighttheeye.BothWildeandNietzschepresentedthemselveswithgreat
flairandworetheirlearninglightly,theirdeeperuditionseamlesslytransformedintosomethingpoetic.
Toaccommodatetheirmultidimensionalpersonalities,bothemployedamultidimensionalstyle,
promptingtheirdetractorstorefertothemasthemostunevenofgreatwriters.Opposedtomandatory
morallaw,itwasforstylisticreasonsthatbothborrowedBiblicalthunderandcadences,Nietzschefor
Zarathustra,WildeinSalome,adaptingreligiousphraseologytosuittheirpeculiartemperaments.Itis
worthwhiletonotethattheybothheldinordinatelyhighviewsoftheseworks.Wildewasmoreproudof
Salome(thisscarletpiecewhichIinsomestrangemoodwrote)thananyofhisotherplaysand
NietzscheunequivocallydeclaredZarathustrathegreatestgifttomankind.
Asmasterstylists,theypossiblybothwrotetoowellfortheirowngood,allowingthemselvestobe
maddenedbytheirownmusicintoxicatedwiththeirownverbosity.Highlyattunedastheyweretothe
musicalityofwords,theymayattimeshavepermittedstyletodictatecontent,ortoeclipsesubstance.In
aletterwrittenin1884toanoldfriend,ErwinRohde,Nietzscheconfesses,Mystyleisadance,itplays
withallsortsofsymmetries,onlytoleapoverandscoffatthem.Thisapplieseventothechoiceof
vowels.AndGidescritiqueofWildesstylecouldalsoapplytoNietzsche:theglitteringofthesurface
makesourmindlosesightofthedeepcentralemotion.ShawsecondedthissentimentregardingWilde,
slightlyamendingit:[Wilde]wassoinlovewithstyle,thatheneverrealizedthedangerofputtingup
morestylethanhismatterwouldcarry.
NietzschechristenedhisapproachDieFrhlicheWissenschaft,whichmeansthegayscience(thoughit
isalsotranslatableasjoyfulwisdom).Itisaworldviewinpraiseoflightheartednessoresprit(witty
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intelligence).Wildesharedinthisplayfulphilosophywhichadvocatedexuberance,buoyancyanda
sustainingsunnyhumor.(Neitherwasaversetoalittleplayfulmalice,aswell.)Theybothretainedtoa
highdegreethechildlikefacultiesofwonder,joy,andbeliefintheimpossible.Thisisevidencedin
Wildesmanyimprobableutterancesandhisdelightfulpersonaofboyishimmaturity,asmuchasinhis
enchantingshortstoriesforchildren.TheArgentinepoetandauthorJorgesLuisBorgesspokeofWildes
invulnerableinnocence.AndinBeyondGoodandEvil,Nietzschedefinesmaturemanhoodasthat
meanstohaverediscoveredtheseriousnessonehadasachildatplay.Alongwithinnocence,Nietzsche
andWildesinnocencealsorepresentedirreverence,asenseoffun,andthelicensetopokefun.Notby
wrath,butbylaughter,doweslay.Come,letusslaythespiritofgravitythusspakeNietzsches
Zarathustra.Inaletter,Nietzscheputitstillmoremischievously:Ihangalittlefarcicaltailontothe
mostseriousthings.ThisisasensibilityamplyechoedbyWilde:Lifeistooimportanttobetaken
seriouslyashewritesinLadyWindermeresFan.Inthefinalequation,theiranswertoprofound
problemswasastylisticone:aestheticsoverethics.Toachievethis,theyoftenfounditnecessaryto
returntothesurfaceofthings.

WorldsofAppearances
Aboveall,NietzscheandWildeweregreatloversoflife,anachronisticGreeksintheiradorationofthe
sunaslifeforceandtheirheadyvitalistphilosophiessensuallyimbuedwithathisworldlyspirituality.
Likewise,intheirdeepbeliefinthewisdomofthebodytheyechoedtheAncientGreekidealofthe
dependenceofahealthymindonahealthybody:Oh,thoseGreeks!Theyknewhowtolive.Whatis
requiredforthatistostopcourageouslyatthesurface,thefold,theskin,toadoreappearances,tobelieve
informs,tones,words,inthewholeOlympusofappearance.ThoseGreeksweresuperficialoutof
profundity.ThisisnotWildewaxingpoetic,butNietzschewaxingphilosophic.Ofcourse,thisisalso
theverysameaestheticphilosophyWildechampioned:Itisonlyshallowpeoplewhodonotjudgeby
appearances(PictureofDorianGray).Moreover,refinementandtastewereprized:Alloflifeisa
disputeovertasteandtasting,NietzschehasZarathustrasay.Suchanaestheticismwasnotonlyan
interpretationoflife,butaphilosophyforlife.
NietzscheandWildemayhavealsobeensuperficialoutofprofundityinyetanotherway,ifweallow
thattheirpreferenceforappearancesmayhavebeeninformedbyKantsskepticismpropoundedinhis
CritiqueofPureReason(1781).Accordingtothisdoctrine,weneverknowthingsastheyare,butonly
astheyappeartobe.Inthiscontext,theirresolvetostopcourageouslyatthesurfacemightnotseemso
unwise.
Onanotherlevel,accordingtoAlexanderNehamasstudyofNietzsche,LifeasLiterature,Nietzsches
aestheticismentailedatendencyforhimtoviewtheworldingeneralasaworkofart,andasaliterary
textinparticular,populatedbyliterarycharacters,includinghimself.Readingandwritingwere
Nietzschessubstitutesforlivingandloving,andhelivedforandthroughthewrittenword,aswellas
learnedfromandarguedwithbooks.Nehamaswrites,hisuseofandemphasisonstyleisitselfpartof
hisefforttounderminethedistinctionbetweenformandcontentinlifeaswellaswriting.
MerginglifewithliteraturewassecondnaturetoWildetoo,whoopenlyadmittedtoperforminghislife.
Hefeltlifeimitatedartfarmorethanviceversa,andsaidtoAndreGide,Mylifeislikeaworkofart.
AndalthoughasawitabouttownhecertainlygotoutmorethanthereclusiveNietzsche,heconfessedin
DeProfundis:Itreatedartasthesupremerealityandlifeasameremodeoffiction.Or,ashehas
GilbertargueinTheCriticasArtist,Whenamanacts,heisapuppet.Whenhedescribes,heisapoet.
ThereismuchofNietzschewithinthisverbaluniverse,affirmingthesupremacyoflanguage,reclaiming
powerfromfatethrougheloquentandarticulateexpression.
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InNietzschewehavethephilosopherasperformanceartist,communicatinginjokes,riddles,parables,
poems,songsoraphorisms.InWilde,itistheartistasperformingphilosopher,havingmadearta
philosophyandphilosophyanartashewroteinDeProfundis.Or,intheuncharacteristicallylavish
praiseoftheusuallycantankerousGeorgeBernardShaw,InacertainsenseMrWildeistomeouronly
thoroughplaywright.Heplayswitheverything:withwit,withphilosophy,withdrama,withactorsand
audience,withthewholetheatre(reviewingWildesAnIdealHusbandintheSaturdayReview,January
12,1895).FollowingWildesdeath,hisfriendMaxBeerbohmwrote:Hecameasathinker,aweaverof
ideasTheatricalconstruction,asenseoftheatricaleffects,werehisbyinstinct(SaturdayReview,
December8,1900).

PersonalStruggles
However,forbothmen,thediscrepanciesbetweentheprivatetruthandthepublicfaadewere
considerable.Beyondstyle,therewerepersonalstruggles,andpersonasfraying.Bodyandsoul,Iam
moreofabattlefieldthanahumanbeing,Nietzscheadmitted.Wildetoowasriddledwithwarring
impulses.YetiftherearestructuralweaknessesinWildesorNietzschesthinking,itisbecausethe
edificesoftheirphilosophiesarebuiltonafaultline.Paradoxically,despitetheiralmostaggressive
individualism,bothviewedtheselfassomethingtobemistrustedorfeared,andsoughttotranscendthe
personalanddissolveordiffusetheirpersonalitiesthroughthedeploymentofmasks.
Profoundlyantagonistictowhatwasmostprofoundlyrelatedtohim,Nietzschedenouncedloudlywhat
wasdeeplyrootedinhimandwhathepossessedinexcess,namely:pity,pietyandmorality.In
ConversationswithNietzsche,LouSalom(whomhereferredtoashistwinsoul)notedatthevery
beginningoftheiracquaintance(1882)thathewasofareligiousnature.Latershewrote,TodayIwould
wanttounderscorethisexpressiondoublyWewillexperienceityetthathewillstepforthasthe
proclaimerofanewreligion,andthenitwillbesuchaoneasrecruitsheroestobeitsdisciples.Of
Salomherself,Nietzschetheselfstyledimmoralistwouldwriteinadraftofalettertotheirmutual
friendPaulRe:ShetoldmeherselfthatshehadnomoralityandIthoughtshehad,likemyself,a
moreseveremoralitythananybody.Nietzschescollapseinthestreet,insane,asheweptwithhisarms
flungaroundatiredoldhorsetoshielditfromwhipping,isapatheticportraitofpity.
Nietzschescausticremarksonasceticism,weakness,andidealism,orhisvitriolforGermanculturein
general,arealsobestunderstoodasinnerthreats.For,despiteoftenhighlychargedsexualmetaphors,
andhiscondemnationofthepreachingofcelibacyasasinagainstlife,hisliferemainedessentially
sexless.Likewise,forallhisvauntedcelebrationofDionysusandhisrepeatedpraisefordancing,he
neitherdranknordanced(althoughduringhisinsaneyearshepracticedanimpressionistformofdance).
Nietzschesmadlettersmakeforparticularlyvividreadingheavensrejoicingandeverything
transfigured,thelandscapepopulatedwithsatyrsandfestivalanimalsbecause,Isuspect,onlyin
madnesswasheabletorealizehisidealofthegodwhodances.Amorecommandingwriterthan
speaker,thetwofacultiesappeartohavefusedduringtheearlymonthsofhisinsanity.Shortlyafterhis
mentalcollapsein1889,Nietzschewasexhibitedtoaclassroomofmedicalstudents,andoneofthe
studentsnoted,WehadneverheardamanspeakthiswayIhadjustfeltthemagicpowerofthe
Nietzschestyleforthefirsttime.Forhespokeashewrote:shortsentencesfullofpeculiarword
combinationsandelaborateantitheses.

ExperimentswithValues
PerhapsslightlybegrudgingWildehisfameandposthumousstatusasamartyr,Shawindulgesina
hypotheticalexercise:howwouldWildehavebeenseenbyposterityhadhediedbeforehistragedy(ie,
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hisscandalandimprisonment)?InShawsestimation,Oscarwouldstillhavebeenrememberedasawit
andadandy,andwouldhavehadanichebesideCongreveinthedrama.Avolumeofhisaphorisms
wouldhavestoodcreditablyonthelibraryshelfwithLaRochefoucauldsMaxims.WhatofNietzsche
minushistragedy(ie,ifhehaddiedsane)?Thatishardtoknow,buthewouldstillhavecutadashing
figureintheannalsofbothliteratureandpsychology,andhadatleastanichebesidemodern
philosopherstoo,judgingbythecontroversybeginningtosurroundhisnameduringhislastprecollapse
year.
Asextremists,bothrecognizedthatextremesareclosertooneanotherthanthemiddlepathof
moderationwhichsoeludedthem.Or,inNietzscheswords,Extremepositionsarenotsucceededby
moderateones,butbycontraryextremepositions.InWilltoPower,heelaborates,thespellthatfights
onourbehalf,theeyeofVenusthatcharmsandblindsevenouropponents,isthemagicoftheextreme,
theseductionthateverythingextremeexercisesweimmoralistswearethemostextreme.Bothmen
werebewitchedbyextremityinthisway,and,inseeingbothsidesofanargumentatonce,occasionally
riskedbecomingphilosophicallycrosseyed.Theresultwasideasthatsometimesnotonlyappeared
profoundlyconfusing,butconfused.
InSchopenhauerasTeacher,Nietzschehadwritten,Icareforaphilosopheronlytotheextentthatheis
abletobeanexample.ThisiswhatemergesfromthetextsofNietzscheandWilde:eachintheirown
unusualwaymanagedtocreateofthemselvesaprodigiousexample,oralivingsign,entrustingto
posteritytheirpeculiarpersonalities,ofwhichtheirworksareapart.FocusingonWildethegifted
storytellerandbrillianttalker,Gidecharacterizedhimasagreatviveurlikethephilosophersof
Greece,Wildedidnotwritebuttalkedandlivedhiswisdom.Concerninghisinterestinawriteror
thinker(inthiscase,Nietzsche)criticGeorgBrandeswrites,Myfirstquestionisthis:Whatisthevalue
ofthisman,isheinteresting,ornot?Ifheis,thenhisbooksareundoubtedlyworthknowing.Questions
ofrightorwrongareseldomapplicableinthehighestintellectualspheresWearenotchildrenin
searchofinstruction,butscepticsinsearchofmen.Thisisamaturepositiontoadopttowardsboth
NietzscheandWilde.Certainlytheyareinteresting,whetherornottheywererightorwrong.The
questionoftheirvalueisalargerone.Ultimately,thesequestingspirits,interrogatingtraditionalanswers
concerninghowweliveandwhatwethinkweknow,werebothphilosophersintheSocraticsense,in
thattheyraisedmorequestionsthantheyanswered.
Undoubtedly,wedonotfindthemasoutrageousastheywereto19thcenturysensibilities.Rather,inour
ageskepticalofabsolutesandsusceptibletoapluralityofinterpretations,weconsiderthem
contemporarieswhoseexperimentswithvaluesmirrorourown.Evenintheircontradictoryworkswe
recognize,writlarge,thewonderfulandcomplexworkingsofthehumanpsyche.Thusasagentsof
regenerationwholiveoninus,theircurrencyrenewstheirvalue,renderingthem,attheveryleast,as
relevanttodayastheywereoveracenturyago.
YahiaLababidi2013
YahiaLababidiistheauthorofSignpoststoElsewhere(aphorisms),TrialbyInk:FromNietzscheto
Bellydancing(essays),FeverDreams(poetry)and,mostrecently,TheArtistasMystic(conversations).

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