The Birth of Tragedy; or, Hellenism and Pessimism (Version 2): Free Audiobook and Listening Guide

The Birth of Tragedy; or, Hellenism and Pessimism (Version 2), credited to Friedrich Nietzsche, is available as a LibriVox volunteer audiobook. This guide identifies the recording, its source summary and its audio tracks.

About the work

The LibriVox catalogue summary, preserved with the recording, reads:

LibriVox recording of The Birth of Tragedy; or, Hellenism and Pessimism (Version 2) by Friedrich Nietzsche. (Translated by William Haussmann.) Read in English by John Van Stan This is one of Nietzsche's early academic writings - a scholarly theory about Ancient Greek theatre, specifically tragedies. In a nutshell, this work theorizes about why (Greek) spectators enjoy watching actors in a long series of scenes that depict human suffering (i.e., tragedy). It is a curious question, especially at the time since scholars generally thought of the Greeks as "A race of men, well-fashioned, beautiful, envied, life-inspiring, like no other race hitherto" (per Nietzsche's introduction). What did they need tragedy for? The question itself, and the path Nietzsche takes to answer this question, outraged the academic world. Later, an older Nietzsche criticizes this book himself and warns the reader that this text "should be treated with some consideration and reserve; yet I shall not altogether conceal how disagreeable it now appears to me, how after sixteen years it stands a total stranger before me." - Summary by jvanstan

Recording facts

• Recording title: The Birth of Tragedy; or, Hellenism and Pessimism (Version 2)
• Author credits: Friedrich Nietzsche
• Language: English
• Original MP3 tracks: 29
• Listed recording duration: 7:52:07

Catalogue topics

• drama
• tragedy
• music
• emotions
• chaos
• greeks
• apollo
• rationality

Opening tracks: first 24 of 29

1. 00 - Introduction by E. Förster-Nietzsche — 44:40
2. 01 - An Attempt At Self-Criticism — 36:25
3. 02 - Foreword To Richard Wagner — 3:15
4. 03 - Chapter 1 — 14:35
5. 04 - Chapter 2 — 10:40
6. 05 - Chapter 3 — 10:45
7. 06 - Chapter 4 — 12:11
8. 07 - Chapter 5 — 18:20
9. 08 - Chapter 6 — 12:00
10. 09 - Chapter 7 — 16:15
11. 10 - Chapter 8 — 20:40
12. 11 - Chapter 9 — 18:25
13. 12 - Chapter 10 — 10:55
14. 13 - Chapter 11 — 17:05
15. 14 - Chapter 12 — 18:10
16. 15 - Chapter 13 — 10:25
17. 16 - Chapter 14 — 13:55
18. 17 - Chapter 15 — 16:15
19. 18 - Chapter 16 — 18:30
20. 19 - Chapter 17 — 17:45
21. 20 - Chapter 18 — 13:12
22. 21 - Chapter 19 — 24:30
23. 22 - Chapter 20 — 8:50
24. 23 - Chapter 21 — 21:25

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