“Your jealous soul shall love no one, unless it be the friend"

considerations on Nietzschean overman and friendship

Abstract

The concept of the ‘overman’ is, without a doubt, one of the most well-known elements of Nietzsche's philosophy; it also constitutes a recurring topic of interest among scholars of this great German thinker. Despite the diversity of interpretations surrounding the overman, it can be safely stated that a characteristic feature of this figure lies in the strength of his spirit. The objective of this text is to show that, to enhance his strength, the overman projects himself towards others, his friends, whom he challenges and at the same time respects. Thus, he encourages them to improve themselves, while simultaneously affirming his individuality and displaying his will to power. To achieve our goal, we divide this work into three parts. The first is dedicated to the study of the overman's strength and his distance from annihilating or vengeful attitudes. The second section is aimed at highlighting the relationship between this strength and the combative nature of the overman, which manifests in a tense relationship with his friends, whom he considers worthy and respectable rivals. In the last part, the presence of generosity in the bonds of friendship that the overman develops is emphasized.