Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of the book. The book explores the eight guests as they appear in Zarathustra before the culminating Last Supper, tracing their lives and fates to the festival itself. It highlights the idiosyncrasies of the Last Supper, sketching the personalities of guests who attend at night and how they appear after encountering the prophet Zarathustra during the morning. One of the most interesting aspects of Thus Spoke Zarathustra is the powerful impression individual characters make throughout the work. Currently, only a few works on Zarathustra exist in the English-speaking world. By tracing the lives and fates of individual characters—and closing the gap between their initial encounter with Zarathustra and their appearance at the festival— to regain some of these vital elements.