Paul de Man's Reading of Nietzsche

Abstract

This is an investigation into the authority of Paul de Man as a literary scholar. Therefore, it is attempted to give a critical account of major points in his ‘deconstructive’reading technique, followed, as an example, by a discussion of his reading of Nietzsche's Über Wahrheit und Lüge, as this is considered a basic text for‘deconstructive’readings. The argument is that de Man's concept of metaphor (and allegory) is founded on a misreading, even on a false translation of Nietzsche. My alternative (thematic) reading underlines that Nietzsche was certainly engaged in the cultural politics of his time, whereas de Man has stressed a comprehensive concept of textuality. This concept is, according to the reasoning in the present article, erroneously referred to Nietzsche. Furthermore, it seems to imply some contradictions. De Man may possibly be considered as a ‘closet metaphysician’in spite of declarations.