Edinburgh University Press Nietzsche's The Case of Wagner and Nietzsche Contra Wagner (Edinburgh Critical Guides to Nietzsche)

Wagner was a lifelong obsession for Nietzsche. No other topic or figure more consistently and persistently appears in Nietzsche's books from beginning to end as do Wagner and his theories. For the first time, Ryan Harvey and Aaron Ridley put Wagner centre-stage in their book to show why he mattered so much to Nietzsche. Looking at both The Case of Wagner and Nietzsche Contra Wagner, they identify and define the trajectory of a number of overarching themes - modernity, decadence and Wagner as the sign of decline within Nietzsche's work as a whole - in order to demonstrate how they crystallise into Nietzsche's final and most substantial discussion of Wagner in The Case of Wagner. Assuming no prior knowledge of Nietzsche or the texts, the book also offers a section-by-section interpretation of The Case of Wagner addressing especially why Wagner is a 'case' for Nietzsche. From the Back Cover Considers Nietzsche's lifelong obsession with Wagner and why it matters for understanding Nietzsche's philosophy as a whole Ryan Harvey and Aaron Ridley put Wagner centre-stage to show why he mattered so much to Nietzsche. Looking at both The Case of Wagner and Nietzsche Contra Wagner, they identify and define the trajectory of a number of overarching themes - modernity, decadence and Wagner as the sign of decline within Nietzsche's work as a whole - and then demonstrate how they crystallise into Nietzsche's final and most substantial discussion of Wagner in The Case of Wagner. Assuming no prior knowledge of Nietzsche or the texts, they offer a chapter-by-chapter interpretation of The Case of Wagner addressing especially why Wagner is a 'case' for Nietzsche. Ryan Harvey is a Lecturer in Philosophy at The California State University. Aaron Ridley is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southampton. About the Author Ryan Harvey received his PhD from the University of Southampton in 2017. He is currently teaching philosophy at Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Aaron Ridley is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southampton. Aaron Ridley is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southampton. He is the author of The Deed is Everything: Nietzsche on Will and Action (OUP, 2018), Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Nietzsche on Art (Routledge, 2007), The Philosophy of Music, Theme and Variations (EUP, 2004), Beginning Bioethics (Palgrave, 1998), Nietzche's Conscience: Six Character Studies from the Genealogy (Cornell University Press, 1998), R. G. Collingwood: A Philosophy of Art (Orion, 1998), Music, Value and the Passions (Cornell University Press, 1995). He is co-editor of The Philosophy of Art: Readings Ancient and Modern, McGraw-Hill, 1995) and Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates (Routledge, 2007).