# Ecce Homo

> 1888 essay by Friedrich Nietzsche

**Wikidata**: [Q861527](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q861527)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecce_Homo_(book))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ecce-homo

## Summary
Ecce Homo is an 1888 essay and autobiography written by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The work, also known by the full title *Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is*, is a literary work written from the author's personal point of view. It is situated chronologically between the author's other works, *The Antichrist* and *Nietzsche contra Wagner*.

## Key Facts
- **Author**: Friedrich Nietzsche
- **Publication Date**: 1888
- **Genre**: Autobiography; Essay; Literary work
- **Original Title**: *Ecce Homo: Wie man wird, was man ist*
- **English Title**: *Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is*
- **Country of Origin**: Germany
- **Title Origin**: References the biblical episode where Pontius Pilate presents Jesus Christ to the people (John 19:5 in the Vulgate).
- **Preceded by**: *The Antichrist* (1889 non-fiction work)
- **Succeeded by**: *Nietzsche contra Wagner* (1889 essay)
- **Wikipedia Title**: *Ecce Homo (book)*

## FAQs
**What is the full title of Ecce Homo?**
The work is fully titled *Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is* in English and *Ecce Homo: Wie man wird, was man ist* in its original German.

**What genre does Ecce Homo belong to?**
It is classified as an autobiography, a biography written by the subject, and an essay, which is a piece of writing written from an author's personal point of view.

**What is the meaning behind the title Ecce Homo?**
The title refers to the episode in which Pontius Pilate presents Jesus Christ to the people, derived from the Latin words used by Pilate in the Vulgate translation of John 19:5.

**What works are adjacent to Ecce Homo in Nietzsche's bibliography?**
Ecce Homo is preceded by the 1889 non-fiction work *The Antichrist* and succeeded by the 1889 essay *Nietzsche contra Wagner*.

**Where was Ecce Homo written?**
The work originates from Germany, a country in Central Europe.

## Why It Matters
Ecce Homo holds significance as a primary autobiographical source where the author recounts his own life and intellectual development. As a literary work categorized as an autobiography, it provides a direct, subjective narrative intended for the edification of the reader. Its placement in the timeline of Nietzsche's writings—bridging the gap between *The Antichrist* and *Nietzsche contra Wagner*—marks it as a crucial component of the author's final creative period in 1888 and 1889.

## Notable For
- Being an autobiography written by the subject himself, offering a personal perspective rather than a third-party biography.
- Utilizing a title rooted in a biblical narrative, specifically the Latin presentation of Jesus Christ by Pontius Pilate.
- Being written in 1888, a period that also saw the creation of related non-fiction works and essays by the same author.
- Belonging to the essay genre, characterized by a writing style from the author's personal point of view.

## Body

### Authorship and Publication
Ecce Homo is a written work authored by Friedrich Nietzsche. The work was created in 1888, serving as a literary work intended for enjoyment or edification. It is cataloged under the Wikipedia title *Ecce Homo (book)* and possesses a sitelink count of 39. The text is available under alternative titles, including the English translation *Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One Is* and the original German *Ecce Homo: Wie man wird, was man ist*.

### Genre and Classification
The work is defined by several overlapping classifications. It is fundamentally an autobiography, a genre defined as a biography written by the subject themselves. Additionally, it falls under the category of an essay, which is a piece of writing often composed from an author's personal point of view. Broadly, it is considered a literary work.

### Title and Etymology
The nomenclature of the book is derived from a distinct historical and religious reference. The phrase "Ecce Homo" identifies the episode in which Pontius Pilate presents Jesus Christ to the people. This phrase comes from the Latin words used by Pilate as recorded in the Vulgate translation of John 19:5.

### Related Works and Chronology
Ecce Homo exists within a specific sequence of Nietzsche's publications. It is preceded by *The Antichrist*, a non-fiction work published in 1889. It is succeeded by *Nietzsche contra Wagner*, an essay also published in 1889. This chronological context places Ecce Homo among the author's late-period works.

### Geographic Context
The work is associated with Germany, the country of origin for the author. Germany is defined as a country in Central Europe. The historical context of Germany includes various inceptions, such as the German Empire (inception 1871-01-01), which was the governing state during the 1888 publication of Ecce Homo. Other historical inceptions listed for the region include the North German Confederation (1867), the Weimar Republic (1918), Nazi Germany (1933), and West Germany (1949).

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013