Preliminary communication
Matoš’s reception of Nietzsche - Commemorating the 100th Death Anniversary of Antun Gustav Matoš (1914-2014)
Vladimir Jelkić
Abstract
The topic of this article are the motifs from Nietzsche’s philosophy in sketches, discussions, pamphlets and correspondence of Croatian writer Antun Gustav Matoš – the analysis does not include his works of art. It shows that Matoš has a very personal relationship towards Nietzsche, whom he considered both a top-level stylist and one of the fathers of Modernism. The motifs that Matoš highlights correspond with the reception of Nietzsche in the Europe of his day, and Matoš’s originality derives from his observing the Christian aspects, where he makes a clear distinction between Nietzsche and the teaching of count Tolstoy as his antipode. Apart from that, Matoš persistently polemizes with the Croatian contemporaries of Nietzsche who barely know his work, but nevertheless admit his influence. The major weak spot of Matoš’s reading Nietzsche is an insufficient understanding of Modernism, but in spite of that we can conclude that Matoš wrote about Nietzsche with understanding of his philosophy, which obviously had a great influence on him.
Keywords
Antun Gustav Matoš; Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche; Modernism; individualism; Christianity
Hrčak ID:
118529
URI
Publication date:
14.3.2014.
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