The Joyful Science consists of five books, along with a preface for the second edition, a prologue in German rhymes titled Funny, Cunning, and Revenge, and an appendix of poems titled Songs of Prince Ekton.

This book addresses the fundamental themes of Nietzsche's reflections: the purpose of existence and what is noble and what is common in light of absolute duties; intellectual consciousness and consciousness in general; feelings of power, ancient pride, distinction; passions such as generosity, nobility, and pain.

Also, the reality of the creation of artists, ethics and aesthetics, women and their relationship to purity and motherhood; knowledge, with its origins and vast domain, faith, happiness, self-mastery, wisdom in pain and greatness; and finally, origins in general: the origins of logic, of the wise, of religions, even of the very concept of knowledge.