Zarathustra
Zarathustra is almost certainly Nietzsche’s most famous character and is based upon a Persian prophet who preached five centuries before the birth of Christ. Christened as Zoroaster by the Greeks, he becomes the title character in Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra. Although not mentioned by name, he is also significantly connected to the title of Beyond Good and Evil since Zoroaster is one of the originators of the dualistic philosophical idea of good versus evil existing in the world.
Übermensch or Overman
Inaccurately transformed into a philosophical figure called the Superman, the theoretical character known as the Übermensch represents the ultimate evolutionary goal of humanity. He is the figure symbolizing the next step upward for society who has shrugged off the trappings of conventional morality which thereby grants him freedom of self-determination unencumbered by the illusions of the past.
The Herd
“The herd” is Nietzsche’s dismissive term of the character of each individual operating within the constraints of herd mentality. The herd is primarily characterized by its utter mediocrity; even in its failures those who belong to it are not capable of standing out. They possess no excellence at all therefore they cannot even be excellent in their failure. The herd becomes a singular character directly as a result of operating on the principle of group instinct rather than individual instinct.
Napoleon
Napoleon represents the polar opposite of the herd. He is characterized as the last of the great aristocrats who existed on a level far above the gaggle of the herd. He is the expression of the possibility of the will to power. And it is only appropriate that is singled out as an individual representation while no such figure exists to represent the herd.
