Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Zarathustra’s Prologue Of the Three Metamorphoses Of the Chairs of Virtue Of the Afterworldsmen Of the Despisers of the Body Of Joys and Passions Of the Pale Criminal Of Reading and Writing Of the Tree on the Mountainside Of the Preachers of Death Of War and Warriors Of the New Idol Of the Flies of the Market-Place Of Chastity Of the Friend Of the Thousand and One Goals Of Love of One’s Neighbour Of the Way of the Creator Of Old and Young Women Of the Adder’s Bite Of Marriage and Children Of Voluntary Death Of the Bestowing Virtue The Child with the Mirror On the Blissful Islands Of the Compassionate Of the Priests Of the Virtuous Of the Rabble Of the Tarantulas Of the Famous Philosophers The Night Song The Dance Song The Funeral Song Of Self-Overcoming Of the Sublime Men Of the Land of Culture Of Immaculate Perception Of Scholars Of Poets Of Great Events The Prophet Of Redemption Of Manly Prudence The Stillest Hour The Wanderer Of the Vision and the Riddle Of Involuntary Bliss Before Sunrise Of the Virtue that Makes Small On the Mount of Olives Of Passing By Of the Apostates The Home-Coming Of the Three Evil Things Of the Spirit of Gravity Of Old and New Law-Tables The Convalescent Of the Great Longing The Second Dance Song The Seven Seals (or: The Song of Yes and Amen) The Honey Offering The Cry of Distress Conversation with the Kings The Leech The Sorcerer Retired from Service The Ugliest Man The Voluntary Beggar The Shadow At Noontide The Greeting The Last Supper Of the Higher Man The Song of Melancholy Of Science Among the Daughters of the Desert The Awakening The Ass Festival The Intoxicated Song The Sign
Themes
All Themes Rethinking Morality The Superman and the Will to Power Death of God and Christianity Eternal Recurrence
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Zarathustra The Old Saint Tight-rope Walker The Ugliest Man
Terms
All Terms Superman Will to Power Eternal Recurrence
Symbols
All Symbols Sun, Noon, Noontide Lion
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Thus Spoke Zarathustra

by

Friedrich Nietzsche
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Sun, Noon, Noontide Symbol Analysis

Sun, Noon, Noontide Symbol Icon

The diffusion of the sun’s rays symbolizes the generous bestowal of wisdom, namely Zarathustra’s. The sun’s position at noon, or the great noontide, symbolizes the time when humanity is midway through its course between animal and Superman and is therefore journeying toward its highest hope. That is, noontide represents the time when humanity embraces the death of God; the will to power; and the coming of a fully free, self-determining, and evolved human race. At the end of the novel, Zarathustra emerges from his cave “like a morning sun emerging from behind dark mountains,” anticipating the coming noontide.

Sun, Noon, Noontide Quotes in Thus Spoke Zarathustra

The Thus Spoke Zarathustra quotes below all refer to the symbol of Sun, Noon, Noontide. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Rethinking Morality Theme Icon
).
Of the Bestowing Virtue Quotes

One repays a teacher badly if one remains only a pupil. And why, then, should you not pluck at my laurels? […]

Now I bid you lose me and find yourselves; and only when you have all denied me will I return to you. […]

And once more you shall have become my friends and children of one hope: and then I will be with you a third time, that I may celebrate the great noontide with you.

Related Characters: Zarathustra (speaker)
Related Symbols: Sun, Noon, Noontide
Rethinking Morality Theme Icon
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
Page Number: 103
Explanation and Analysis:
Of the Three Evil Things Quotes

Whether one be servile before gods and divine kicks, or before men and the silly opinions of men: it spits at slaves of all kinds, this glorious selfishness!

Bad: that is what it calls all that is broken-down and niggardly-servile, unclear, blinking eyes, oppressed hearts, and that false, yielding type of man who kisses with broad, cowardly lips. […]

And he who declares the Ego healthy and holy and selfishness glorious – truly he, a prophet, declares too what he knows: 'Behold, it comes, it is near, the great noontide!'

Related Characters: Zarathustra (speaker)
Related Symbols: Sun, Noon, Noontide
Rethinking Morality Theme Icon
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
Page Number: 209
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Sign Quotes

‘Pity! Pity for the Higher Man!’ he cried out, and his countenance was transformed into brass. 'Very well! That—has had its time! […]

‘The lion has come, my children are near, Zarathustra has become ripe, my hour has come!

This is my morning, my day begins: rise up now, rise up, great noontide!’

Thus spoke Zarathustra and left his cave, glowing and strong, like a morning sun emerging from behind dark mountains.

Related Characters: Zarathustra (speaker)
Related Symbols: Sun, Noon, Noontide, Lion
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
Page Number: 336
Explanation and Analysis:
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Sun, Noon, Noontide Symbol Timeline in Thus Spoke Zarathustra

The timeline below shows where the symbol Sun, Noon, Noontide appears in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Zarathustra’s Prologue
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...For 10 years, he enjoys living in solitude—but one morning at dawn, he addresses the sun, praising it for giving light to him and his animals. Like the sun, Zarathustra wants... (full context)
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
10. Zarathustra has this realization at noon. Above, an eagle circles, with a serpent coiled around its neck—these are Zarathustra’s animals (the... (full context)
Of the Bestowing Virtue
Rethinking Morality Theme Icon
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...good and evil.” According to Zarathustra, this is the essence of power; it’s a “golden sun.” (full context)
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...they’ve denied him. Then, he will rejoin them, love them anew, and “celebrate the great noontide” with them. (full context)
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
The great noontide is when a human being stands in the middle of the course between animal and... (full context)
The Dance Song
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...accompanies their dance with a song praising Life. After the girls go away and the sun sets, Zarathustra grows sad. (full context)
Of Immaculate Perception
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...once led astray by this supposed knowledge, until he understood that knowledge is like the sun’s light, suffusing everything. (full context)
Of Scholars
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...rather than on scholarly “respectabilities.” Scholars are mere spectators in the shade, avoiding the scorching sun—they stare at passersby and think about others’ thoughts. Their cleverness is deceitful. Scholars resent Zarathustra... (full context)
Of the Virtue that Makes Small
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
Death of God and Christianity Theme Icon
...into nothingness. He implores the people to “be such as can will!” Someday, the “great noontide” will arrive. (full context)
Of Passing By
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...city by; it contains nothing to make either better or worse, and before the great noontide comes, it must be destroyed. (full context)
Of the Three Evil Things
Rethinking Morality Theme Icon
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...are all disgusting to selfishness. “World-weary cowards” praise the supposedly “selfless,” but when the great noontide comes, Zarathustra’s judgment of selfishness will be vindicated. (full context)
Of Old and New Law-Tables
Rethinking Morality Theme Icon
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
Eternal Recurrence Theme Icon
...to the goal, not the goal itself. Based on this, Zarathustra has taught the great noontide, and his goal of bringing together all chance in order to create the future—and also... (full context)
Rethinking Morality Theme Icon
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...humanity. (30) Zarathustra calls upon his will to be inexorable and ready for the great noontide, ready to be annihilated in the course of victory. (full context)
The Convalescent
Eternal Recurrence Theme Icon
...to a new or better life, but to the same life. He teaches the great noontide and the Superman. And now, it’s time for Zarathustra’s down-going. His animals fall silent, and... (full context)
At Noontide
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
Zarathustra encounters no one else and enjoys his solitude. Just before noon, however, he takes a nap in the shade of a gnarled tree, content. His soul... (full context)
Of the Higher Man
Rethinking Morality Theme Icon
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
Death of God and Christianity Theme Icon
...has died. (2) God was the Higher Men’s greatest danger. Only after his death can noontide come, and the Men be masters. Now they desire the Superman. (3) While most ask... (full context)
The Sign
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...next morning, Zarathustra springs out of bed and emerges from his cave “like a morning sun emerging from behind dark mountains.” The Higher Men are still asleep; but that is fine,... (full context)
The Superman and the Will to Power Theme Icon
...The lion has come, his children are near, he is ripe, and today the great noontide will rise up. Zarathustra leaves his cave, glowing and strong like the sun. (full context)
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