My initial introduction to the philosophy of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche took place

during a first year lecture on Contemporary Culture by Dr. Adrian Konik at the Nelson

Mandela Metropolitan University six years ago. Ever since that introduction to Nietzsche I

developed a personal interest in his philosophy and life. Nietzsche's radical approach and

critique of morality, religion, knowledge and human psychology appeared to be a gateway

into personal self-evaluation. As the researcher I aimed to create a psychobiography of

Friedrich Nietzsche who was born in R繹cken Saxony in1844 and died in Weimar, Germany

in 1900. Nietzsche's thought-provoking philosophy challenged the fundamental moral

institutions of his time. His criticism of western culture and the Christian religion was based

on the premise that these moral institutions were not affirming life. Nietzsche's philosophy

has been described as rebellious and destructive with intentions of creating and selfbecoming,

as opposed to the religious constraints he grew up in as a child. As the researcher,

I am acutely aware of the intertwined complexity of distinguishing between Nietzsche's life

and philosophy. Nietzsche himself made paradoxical statements in his quasi-autobiography

(Ecce Homo, 1888), such as "I am thy labyrinth" and "My writings are one, I am another."

These statements reflect the complexity that exists regarding Nietzsche and have been

acknowledged by the researcher with the necessary methodological caution. The researcher

intends to primarily explore Nietzsche's life and not his philosophy, albeit the researcher may

refer to certain philosophical aspects that may contribute to the exploration of his life.