Among the group of Higher Men whom Zarathustra finds in the forest and invites into his cave, the ugliest man is “the murderer of God.” He killed God because God pitied his misfortunes, prompting the man to resentment and revenge. In Zarathustra’s view, the ugliest man is one of the most promising of the Higher Men, as he's in the process of overcoming himself and being reconciled to the Eternal Recurrence.
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The Ugliest Man Character Timeline in Thus Spoke Zarathustra
The timeline below shows where the character The Ugliest Man appears in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
The Ugliest Man
...to solve the mystery of his identity. Briefly overcome by pity, Zarathustra tells this “ ugliest man ” that he is “the murderer of God.”
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The ugliest man detains Zarathustra when he tries to leave. He says that Zarathustra is his last refuge;...
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Zarathustra is chilled by the ugliest man ’s words, but he encourages the man to find refuge in his cave. He walks...
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The Greeting
...together. He enters the cave and finds all his guests: the kings, sorcerer, beggar, shadow, the ugliest man , and all the rest. In their midst are his animals. Zarathustra considers them all...
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The Awakening
...is astonished to see the Higher Men praying—they are kneeling before the kings’ donkey. The ugliest man recites an absurd litany praising the donkey’s burden-bearing, patience, and long ears. The donkey simply...
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The Ass Festival
...prefers to walk by crooked paths. The others offer various excuses for their behavior, and the ugliest man says that God is killed most effectively by laughter. (2) Zarathustra denounces the Higher Men’s...
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The Intoxicated Song
...Higher Men go outside to admire the silence and beauty of the night. At last, the ugliest man breaks the silence, acknowledging that he is content with his entire life for the first...
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