About Thus Spoke Zarathustra
What it's about
After ten years alone in the mountains, the prophet Zarathustra comes down to share what he has learned. The crowd laughs at him, so he speaks in stories and images instead: a camel, a lion and a child, and the idea that life might repeat forever.
Who it's for
Readers who have heard of Nietzsche's 'Übermensch' or 'eternal return' and want to see where those ideas come from, explained in plain English.
- Level
- CEFR B2
- Length
- 3 parts · about 1,100 words
- Reading time
- about 9 minutes (~3 min per part)
- Author
- Friedrich Nietzsche
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Reading Thus Spoke Zarathustra in English: quick answers
- What English level is Thus Spoke Zarathustra on SeoJae Story?
- Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche is retold in simplified English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate). It is split into 3 short parts, and every sentence has a Korean translation you can show or hide, so a learner at that level can follow the story without a dictionary.
- Is Thus Spoke Zarathustra hard to read in English?
- The original is written for native readers, with long sentences and older vocabulary, so most learners find it hard. This retelling keeps the story but uses simpler English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), so if you read English at that level you can follow it, and the Korean translation is there for any line that stops you. If it feels too hard, start with an easier book one level down.
- How long does it take to read Thus Spoke Zarathustra in simple English?
- About 9 minutes of reading in total — roughly 3 minutes per part across 3 parts. Listening to the audio narration, reviewing the vocabulary and taking each part's comprehension check adds a little more.
- Is this the full, unabridged text of Thus Spoke Zarathustra?
- No. It is an abridged graded retelling written for English learners that follows the story of the original in 3 parts. Every part also lets you read the matching unabridged chapters from the original, split into short readings.
- Is Thus Spoke Zarathustra free to read here?
- Yes. All 3 parts are free to read online, with the Korean translation, audio narration, vocabulary flashcards and comprehension questions included.
- Is Thus Spoke Zarathustra in the public domain?
- Yes. Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra is in the public domain, and the original text is freely available from Project Gutenberg (eBook #1998). SeoJae Story's simplified retelling and Korean translation are original text written for learners.