Leiden University Student Repository

Zijlstra, Jort (2025)

Nietzsche and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’s Problematic Turn: How Nietzsche’s philosophy sheds light on a modern work of art

Bachelor thesis | Filosofie (BA)

For this thesis, I have compared Nietzsche’s philosophy to the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). What I found problematic is how the protagonists want to have their memories about each other erased at the beginning of the film, but want to give their relationship another chance at the ending of the film. The question I researched is as follows: ‘How does Nietzsche’s philosophy help us understand the ending of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)?’ To answer this question, I took a close look at two of Nietzsche’s texts: Passage 276 from The Gay Science (2001a) and ‘On Redemption’ from Thus Spoke Zarathustra (2006). I have argued that Nietzsche’s concept of amor fati does not help us because there are not enough similarities. However, I have also concluded that Nietzschean redemption does help us understand the ending of the film better. The road to redemption the will experiences is also present in the film. ‘On Redemption’ helps us understand the ending of...Show moreFor this thesis, I have compared Nietzsche’s philosophy to the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). What I found problematic is how the protagonists want to have their memories about each other erased at the beginning of the film, but want to give their relationship another chance at the ending of the film. The question I researched is as follows: ‘How does Nietzsche’s philosophy help us understand the ending of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)?’ To answer this question, I took a close look at two of Nietzsche’s texts: Passage 276 from The Gay Science (2001a) and ‘On Redemption’ from Thus Spoke Zarathustra (2006). I have argued that Nietzsche’s concept of amor fati does not help us because there are not enough similarities. However, I have also concluded that Nietzschean redemption does help us understand the ending of the film better. The road to redemption the will experiences is also present in the film. ‘On Redemption’ helps us understand the ending of the film because it tells us how to overcome a painful past.Show less

Continental Philosophy

Nietzsche

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Redemption

Author

Zijlstra, Jort

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Filosofie van mens, techniek en cultuur

Supervisors

Siemens, H.W.

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en