Born in 1844, Friedrich Nietzsche was a German Philosopher who issued provocative statements such as "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" and "God is dead! And we have killed him." Widely ignored in his own time, Nietzsche's legacy would not be fully realized until the mid twentieth century. His ideas were radical and controversial and widely influenced thought in philosophy, psychology and literature among others. A common theme found throughout his writings was a critique of Christian morality, often writing in prose to accomplish this task. Though Nietzsche had a promising young career, he struggled throughout his life with illness and relational problems; eventually culminating in his mental breakdown at the age of 44 and death 11 years later.