LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 22:9 September 2022
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Nietzsche and Periyar: Tryst with the Concept of God

Dr. S. Sridevi

Abstract

This paper aims at examining similar thought processes regarding the concept of God of the German philosopher Nietzsche and the Tamil social reformer and thinker Periyar. Both these thinkers critiqued the religion with which they were associated, for different reasons. Nietzsche demanded an energetic religion that would reflect the power of real life and believed bringing back Greek myths would achieve this end. Periyar demanded a religion that accepted all people as equal, and hence rejected all myths that had a hidden politics of hegemony and hierarchy. The philosopher Nietzsche has thought like a social reformer, and the social reformer Periyar has thought like a philosopher. Philosophy and social ideologies intertwin these two great thinkers.

Keywords: God, Periyar, Nietzsche, myth.

Introduction

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) was a German philosopher who is associated with the concept of hermeneutics of suspicion against established social values. Nietzsche used his critical analyses to theorize about the nature of the self, and proposals suggesting new values that he thought would promote cultural renewal in Christianized Europe. (Anderson)

Nietzsche demanded a new symbol that will signify the zest of life in religion. He wanted religion to symbolize the dance of life and represent its fundamental energy. The Greek Gods symbolized this energy and he attempted to invoke them. “Now the essence of nature must express itself symbolically” in the society; “a new world of symbols is necessary” for people to be inspired - “the entire symbolism of the body, not just the symbolism of mouth, face, and words, but the full gestures of the dance—all the limbs moving to the rhythm,” Nietzsche says in Birth of Tragedy (Nietzsche 11). Human life is like a rhythmic dance, and religion has to provide a suitable symbol so that people will live with complete enthusiasm and spirit. Once such a symbol is established then “the other symbolic powers grow, those of music, rhythm, dynamics, and harmony—all with sudden spontaneity,” he argues (Nietzsche 11). If the main symbol represents dynamism, then the other related symbols would also begin to represent the energy of life.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr. S. Sridevi
Professor of English
CTTE College
Chennai 600011
Tamilnadu, India
sridevisaral@gmail.com
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