Why did The Birth of Tragedy cause controversy among classical scholars?

The Birth of Tragedy (1872) caused significant controversy among classical scholars primarily because it was mistaken for a conventional work of classical scholarship.12

While scholars expected a traditional, exegetical analysis of Greek antiquity, Friedrich Nietzsche produced a speculative, imaginative work that prioritized philosophical and aesthetic arguments over standard academic methodology. By arguing that Greek tragedy emerged from the fusion of Apollonian and Dionysian elements—and asserting that Socratic rationalism ultimately destroyed the tragic form—Nietzsche departed from the rigid conventions of his field.12

Furthermore, the book’s final sections functioned as a rhapsody on the rebirth of tragedy through the music of Richard Wagner, further distancing the text from the objective, historical rigor expected by his peers. Although initially met with silence and later heated criticism, the work is now recognized as a profound contribution to the history of aesthetics.12