Friedrich Nietzsche was one of the most profound and controversial philosophers of the nineteenth century. His writings have been the topic of discussion and debate since his death well over a century ago. The vernacular he wrote in can make it challenging to interpret what he is trying to say but by using sources from that time period and beyond it can make it easier to understand. By reading letters that Nietzsche sent as well as a rhetorical analysis of Nietzsche, you can get a better idea of what was going on in his life that would influence him to write on the topics that he did. By analyzing his personal correspondence as well as secondary observations of "On Truth and Lies in a Non-Moral Sense" we can get a better understanding of the ideology he is creating which states that truth is relative and it is up to the individual to decide what is right and wrong. 

Friedrich Nietzsche was born in 1844 in Prussia (modern day Germany). He studied at the University of Bonn, it is there where his rejection of religion began after taking a course on theology. His writings covered many controversial topics, often challenging the institution of religion which was very bold in the mid nineteenth century. One of his most prominent themes was the idea that "God is dead". By saying this he did not mean that god literally was dead but that the institution of the church is no longer a credible source of virtue and moral goodness. These ideas came during a time period of revelation that the answers to life proposed by the bible no longer held any truth. Charles Darwin published "On the origin of species" in 1859, proposing the theory of evolution and virtually going against everything the bible said. Evolution opened people's eyes and made them realize that truth is found in factual evidence, not words. Advancements in science and technology tarnished the church's reputation and its following was diminished. 

Friedrich Nietzsche began writing and developing his philosophy in 1872, his first published work was called, The Birth of Tragedy.  He also wrote on the topic of morality and truth, his most prominent piece on these two subjects was "On Truth and Lies in a Non-Moral Sense", written in 1873. This was an unpublished piece by Nietzsche, in it he argues that good and bad are relative and truth is solely based on perception. In the fourth paragraph of "On Truth and Lies..." Nietzsche writes "Moreover, man permits himself to be lied to at night, his lifelong, when he dreams, and his moral sense never even tries to prevent this-although men have been said to have overcome snoring by sheer willpower" (Nietzsche, Page 181). This observation is saying that truth and morals were created by people, just because we see things certain ways doesn't mean that they are necessarily right. By looking at a rhetorical analysis of "On Truth and Lies " we can give context and background to the reading that you may look passed when reading for yourself. Nietzsche is asking why we see things as good and other things as bad, how did we come to the conclusion that things are the way they are? In this writing he argues that humans have come to these conclusions through language. Truth is something fabricated by humans and just because someone says that something is true and holds value does not necessarily mean that it is. The rhetorical analysis says "By using dialogic inquiry, figurative language, and illustration, Nietzsche demonstratively persuades his readers to accept that truth is an act of human creation, not a fact, and that metaphors are as close to the truth as man can ever get." Truth is the byproduct of metaphors that over time have evolved into concepts but in actuality they lack any logical truth. Nietzsche writes "Truths are illusions which we have forgotten are illusions; they are metaphors that have become worn out and have been drained of sensuous force, coins which have lost their embossing and are now considered as metal and no longer coins"(Nietzsche, Page 184)

Reading "On truth and lies " at first it is difficult to make the connection but by reading the rhetorical analysis it became apparent that Nietzsche structured his essay in the form of biblical doctrine for the purpose of indirectly attacking its validity. Friedrich Nietzsche challenges the institution of religion by questioning the bible's account of the creation of a man. This asserts how powerful language and metaphors are as well as how the Bible's creation story has been accepted by people for thousands of years when in reality it is fallacious. Language is a very powerful tool, it can contort reality and make people believe in something that holds no merit. Nietzsche asks the question "Is language the adequate expression of all realities?"(Nietzsche, Page 182). Looking at the rhetorical analysis aided in my understanding of this concept by breaking it down into simpler terms "all language-based concepts are nothing more than mere associations between objects and symbolic or metaphorical representations for the human experience of physical things fictional confections."(A Simple Rhetorical Analysis ).  Words are symbols of things that are then turned into concepts and observed by humans as truth but in reality they may not be true. Reading outside sources helps tremendously because it makes you conscious of things that you didn't even realize when reading it for yourself. It is very easy to miss things or not fully comprehend them when reading on your own. It is good to get other opinions on the text and to delve into the deeper meaning.

Friedrich Nietzsche thought on a level that can be paralleled by only a few gifted people, combined with the vernacular of the mid nineteenth century and the sometimes not so accurate translation from his native German language to others can make it hard to fully understand what he is trying to say. Understanding his background and personal motives for his philosophical ideas can make it easier to comprehend what he is trying say. Reading his work requires intense focus, each sentence needs to be broken down and analyzed. He often uses metaphors and allegorical techniques to enforce his ideas and back his thesis. "On Truth and Lies in a Non-Moral Sense" was an unpublished work that Nietzsche did not necessarily intend to share with others. Therefore you can see that he is essentially talking to himself and expressing his own personal thoughts almost like a Journal, in other words the intended audience is himself, he is thinking intrinsically and writing down his own observations on the thinking process. Throughout his life Friedrich Nietzsche was plagued by disease, syphilis would eventually deteriorate his life to the point of mental collapse at the age of 44 in 1889. Prior to the mental collapse he wrote thousands of letters to family and friends, these personal correspondents shed light on who he was a person and why he thought the way that he did. His feelings and opinions in his letters directly correlate with the philosophical principles he proposed. I analyzed a letter he sent to his friend, Freiherr Karl Von Gersdorff, in April of 1874. At this point in his life he was a professor of Philology at the University of Basel in Switzerland, he had compiled a large amount of writings of which only one was published. The Birth of Tragedy (1872) was not received well and faced much criticism, he was seen as brash and a delinquent. He talks about his feelings of solitude and self-doubt. One sentence really sticks out to me, he says "All I long for is a little freedom, a taste of the real breath of life; and I kick, I revolt against the many, the unutterably many constraints to which my mind is still subject". This quote really embodies Nietzsche's philosophy on life itself. What Nietzsche is trying to communicate in this letter is that he at the moment is currently unhappy with the nature of things, he does not feel optimistic about the direction that things are heading. He is not content with the opposition he faces for thinking freely. He is living the life of a bohemian, he is not driven by material things or accolades; he is in search of truth and understanding. His non-conformist ways and outspoken thoughts make him the subject of much ostracization. He expresses feelings of discontent in his letter and I don't think it is because his works are not receiving the praise he feels that they deserve but more so on the close mindedness of people in general. He is longing to create something of meaning, a groundbreaking philosophical work that will open people's eyes and make them think. By looking at this letter you can understand Nietzsche's outlook on life and how he personally feels, this can aid in fully comprehending his writings. His letters constantly bring up the reoccurring theme that it is up to the individual to determine what is fiction and what is truth. Nietzsche writes "Moreover, man permits himself to be lied to at night, his lifelong, when he dreams, and his moral sense never even tries to prevent this- although men have been said to overcome snoring by sheer will power."(Nietzsche, Page 181). People have the power of free thought but they never challenge truth for fear of rejection. Nietzsche implores the reader to think for themselves and find their own answers. Do not be content with what has been believed to be true because truth has no validity, it is just a fabrication created by mankind.

Friedrich Nietzsche is praised as being one of the greatest modernist philosophers. His insight on the world and nature still holds truth today. Nietzsche's whole philosophy was to make interpretations for yourself and to be guided by your own instincts. "On Truth and Lies " really brought to fruition all of his main ideals. His ideology is the gateway to truth and understanding. Reading his work can be very difficult, it is very easy to get lost. By analyzing secondary sources about "On Truth and Lies " as well as his personal letters it can help the reader to gain a better understanding of the metaphors and connections Nietzsche is writing about.

