Chronicle of Nietzsche 's Life 363October to May 1877: Spends time with Paul Rèe in Sorrento at the home
of Malwida von Meysenbug. Writes notes that are later integrated into
Human, All Too Human. N. becomes aware of his "divergence from
Schopenhauer's philosophy" (December).1877
N. explains to Malwida von Meysenbug that he is aiming at "absolute
concentration on one single idea that would become like a mighty flame
to scorch the individual" (April). Cosima writes to Malwida: "I think that
there is a dark, productive foundation in Nietzsche of which he is him-
self unaware" (April). N. considers resigning from his professorship.
His friends try to dissuade him.
September: Return to Basel. New apartment with his sister. Illness.
Extension of his leave from the Pädagogium. Lectures at the university.
Works on Human, All Too Human. Thorough medical examination by Dr.
Eiser (October): "It has been determined that my eyes are almost cer-
tainly the source of my sufferings, specifically of my awful headaches."
His doctor forbids him to read and write for several years. Richard
Wagner learns of Eiser's diagnosis and writes the doctor that in his view
the cause of N.'s disease is "masturbation," and N.'s "altered way of
thinking" is a result of "a series of unnatural dissipations with indica-
tions of pederasty." When N. later learns of this (probably not until
1883), he categorizes Wagner's statement as a "mortal insult"1878
January: Wagner's Parsifal arrives. N.: "It is all too Christian ... nothing
but fanciful psychology ... no flesh and much too much blood ... and
I do not like hysterical women" (January 3). Negotiations for a pseu-
donymous publication of Human, All Too Human fall apart when the
publisher refuses to go along with this idea. The book is published in
April. Wagner is horrified. Cosima: "I know that evil has triumphed
here." Rohde also rejects the book: "Can a person really discard his soul
in this way and don a different one in its place?"