ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the literary framing of the whip comment has rarely been appreciated. However unflattering his characterizations of certain "wives" in the discussion of marriage, Zarathustra's remarks on men and women in the section "On the Friend" underscores the fact that the structure of friendship is historically relative, and susceptible to change. In the First Part of Zarathustra, most sections are presented as transcripts of Zarathustra's speeches. Thus, while Zarathustra's speech might sound like the musings of someone who considers women to be primarily "toys for boys," the framing of the section ensures that Zarathustra does not have the last word. To see this, we need to recognize the reappearance of the whip in the penultimate section of Zarathustra. Schopenhauer goes on to argue that the cracking of whips is counterproductive, as well as inexcusable, since the horses being goaded become so used to the sound that they pay no attention.
