Nietzsche, Jung and Perls: philosophy, psychology and theatre

Abstract

In the following article, with theatre as the background and guiding thread, the influence that Friedrich Nietzsche has had on the approach and research of Fritz Perls and Carl Jung is discussed. This Nietzschean contribution can be summarized in two perspectives. One is the apothegm of Pindar brought into vitalist philosophy: you must become who you are. The other is one of Nietzsche's most famous ideas: the Übermensch.

On the other hand, theatre plays an essential and connective role here, as it traverses—at least in part—the work of these three authors to shape and give experience to their conceptions. Theatre is a meeting point between Nietzsche, Jung, and Perls, offering scenarios and passages to enrich, visualize and test their discoveries and reflections. The role of intuition and the body, those eternals forgotten elements of many western philosophical currents, becomes more clearly present in theatre, which is why it has been included as a fundamental part of this work.