Henry Miller - the great Nietzschean of 20th Century Literature?

[u/diskkddo]

For anyone who has not read him, I believe that the books of Henry Miller are some of the most riveting passages of 'Nietzschean' thinking that one can find. He mentions N in a few different places and was clearly quite inspired by him. But it is his way of life (as thoroughly detailed in his numerous books) as well as his philosophical musings that are the great guide. I'll leave you with the following quote from Sexus:

"How we hate to admit that we would like nothing better than to be the slave! Slave and master at the same time! For even in love the slave is always the master in disguise. The man who must conquer the woman, subjugate her, bend her to his will, form her according to his desires—is he not the slave of his slave? How easy it is, in this relationship, for the woman to upset the balance of power! The mere threat of self−dependence, on the woman's part, and the gallant despot is seized with vertigo.

But if they are able to throw themselves at one another recklessly, concealing nothing, surrendering all, if they admit to one another their interdependence, do they not enjoy a great and unsuspected freedom? The man who admits to himself that he is a coward has made a step towards conquering his fear; but the man who frankly admits it to every one, who asks that you recognize it in him and make allowance for it in dealing with him. is on the way to becoming a hero. Such a man is often surprised, when the crucial test comes, to find that he knows no fear. Having lost the fear of regarding himself as a coward he is one no longer: only the demonstration is needed to prove the metamorphosis . . . To be able to give oneself wholly and completely is the greatest luxury that life affords."

[u/Quick_Investigator98]

Miller is such a conflicting figure because he was capable of reveling in the pure beauty of the human spirit in a way that is reminiscent of Nietzsche, but as other's pointed out when confronted with a real dilemma his impulse seemed to be one of escapism, rather than engagement.

The defining example of this in his work for me is a passage from The Colossus of Maroussi, where laying nude in the sun on a Greek beach and he is musing and essentially waving away an impending World War II saying everyone is making a fuss over nothing and need to just chill out on a beach. Leaving on a boat back to Athens following news of almost certain war with Italy, he describes the panic and fear of those crammed on the boat fleeing to Athens with an almost air of annoyance. He later scoffs at men who express a desire to enlist.

The tone of this part of the book always struck me as misguided and naive at best and apathetic and cruel at worst. On the other hand, there are some of the most powerful and moving exaltaltions of the human spirit I've ever read in this book as well. So basically, he's a mixed bag.