Early Comparative Study: Nietzsche's Work

The question asks to identify a major early work that exemplifies comparative study within the framework of oppositional cultural criticism. Let's break down these terms:

• Comparative Study: This involves examining two or more different subjects (in this case, cultural elements or ideas) to highlight their similarities and differences, leading to a deeper understanding.
• Oppositional Cultural Criticism: This type of analysis focuses on identifying and critiquing fundamental conflicts or opposing forces within a culture or its expressions.
• Early Example: The work should be from a relatively early period in the development of these critical approaches.

Analysis of Options

We need to evaluate each option based on these criteria:

Option 1: Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy

Friedrich Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy (published in 1872) is widely considered a seminal work. It contrasts two fundamental artistic and cultural forces in ancient Greece:

• The Apollonian: Representing order, reason, form, and individuation.
• The Dionysian: Representing chaos, intoxication, emotion, and the dissolution of the individual.

Nietzsche uses this opposition (Apollonian vs. Dionysian) to analyze the origin and development of Greek tragedy. This approach involves:

• Comparative study: Directly comparing and contrasting the Apollonian and Dionysian principles.
• Oppositional criticism: Analyzing Greek culture and art through the lens of these conflicting drives.
• Early example: Published in the late 19th century, it precedes many later theoretical developments and is considered foundational for certain types of cultural critique.

This work strongly fits the description provided in the question.

Option 2: Goethe's Faust

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust is a monumental dramatic work exploring profound philosophical and human themes. While it contains rich cultural and philosophical content, it is primarily a play and not structured as a comparative study specifically aimed at cultural criticism in the way Nietzsche's work is. It doesn't focus on contrasting specific cultural forces as its primary method.

Option 3: Rene Wallek's The Crisis of Comparative Literature

René Wellek's essay, published much later (around 1958), is a critical reflection on the state and methodology of the academic field of comparative literature. It discusses comparative studies but is not an *early example* of the practice itself, especially not in the mode of oppositional cultural criticism.

Option 4: Freud's Totem and Taboo

Sigmund Freud's Totem and Taboo (1913) applies psychoanalytic theory to understand the origins of religion and social organization in primitive societies. It employs comparison (comparing neuroses to the lives of 'primitive' peoples) and deals with cultural phenomena. However, it is:

• Later: Published after Nietzsche's work.
• Primarily Psychoanalytic: While influential for cultural studies, its core methodology is psychoanalytic interpretation, distinct from Nietzsche's aesthetic and cultural philosophy.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis, Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy stands out as a major early example of comparative study using an oppositional framework (Dionysian vs. Apollonian) to offer profound cultural criticism regarding ancient Greek civilization and art.