Women are considered deep - why? Because one can never discover
Women are considered deep - why? Because one can never discover any bottom to them. Women are not even shallow.
The words of Friedrich Nietzsche — “Women are considered deep — why? Because one can never discover any bottom to them. Women are not even shallow.” — carry both enigma and provocation. Spoken in the sharp and paradoxical style of the philosopher, they remind us that the essence of women cannot be confined to the categories that men, in their arrogance, attempt to impose. Nietzsche cloaks his insight in irony, yet beneath the jest lies a recognition: that women are boundless, unfathomable, and resistant to the easy judgments of the world.
The meaning of these words is layered. To call women “deep” is to suggest mystery, as though their thoughts and nature lie hidden beneath the surface. Yet Nietzsche twists this, saying they are “not even shallow,” for there is no bottom, no final explanation, no neat discovery to be made. In this, he reveals a truth: the soul of women, like the soul of mankind itself, is inexhaustible, a river without end, a sky without horizon. To attempt to measure it is folly, for its depths cannot be charted.
History offers living portraits of this mystery. Consider Cleopatra, who held emperors in her sway and empires in her grasp. Men have written of her beauty, her cunning, her wisdom, and her charm — yet none could say they truly knew her. Was she a temptress, a queen, a strategist, or all of these at once? The legends of her life illustrate Nietzsche’s paradox: no matter how one sought to define her, there was always more, always something unfathomable, something beyond reach.
Thus the quote becomes both challenge and warning. It mocks the arrogance of those who would seek to “solve” or reduce women to a single role, a single virtue, or a single fault. Instead, it proclaims that women are infinite in being, not merely “deep” like a well with a bottom, but endless, like the sea, ever-changing, ever-surprising, never contained. To believe otherwise is to be deceived by one’s own shallow gaze.
Let future generations hear this paradox and take wisdom from it: do not presume to define what cannot be confined. For the mystery of women is not a riddle to be answered, but a truth to be revered — a living flame that resists capture, a depthless ocean that humbles all who approach. In this sense, Nietzsche’s jest becomes prophecy: the more one seeks to reduce, the more one finds infinity.
HNHoang Ngan
This quote feels problematic in its implications. Nietzsche suggests that the idea of women being 'deep' comes from the fact that they are uncharted, but this reduces women to an abstract concept, ignoring the lived experiences, emotions, and intellectual contributions they make. Why is complexity or ‘depth’ in women often framed as unknowability instead of agency and intellect? Shouldn't we celebrate women for their knowledge and authenticity instead of mystifying them?
KDLe Ba Khanh Doan
I’m struck by how Nietzsche’s quote portrays women as unknowable, which seems to reinforce the idea that women should be seen as objects of mystery rather than fully realized individuals. Is this concept of 'depth' truly a positive or empowering view of women, or is it an outdated and limiting perspective? Wouldn't it be more meaningful to acknowledge women’s depth as something they actively define themselves, not just something others perceive?
TTQue Tran Thi
Nietzsche's comment seems to suggest that women’s depth is more of a concept created by others than an inherent quality. I wonder, does this reflect a historical tendency to label women as complex, rather than giving them the space to define their own complexity? What does it mean for a woman to be seen as ‘not even shallow’—is this praise, or is it just another way to box women into roles based on perceived mystery?
PCDang Phuong Chi
This quote feels almost dismissive in its portrayal of women. Nietzsche suggests that the reason women are considered deep is that they are unknowable, but isn’t that a reflection of society’s tendency to simplify or mystify women’s experiences? Why is it that women’s complexity is often associated with being unexplainable, while men's complexity is viewed as a strength? Could this be a critique of how society values women’s roles?
KLHoang Thi Khanh Linh
Nietzsche's quote seems to reduce women to an enigma, implying that their complexity is perceived only because they can't be fully understood. But is this truly a compliment or more of a limiting stereotype? Why is there an assumption that depth or value is defined by mystery or unexplainability? Shouldn't women be seen for their individuality and intellect rather than this kind of superficial categorization?