Hermann Hesse: In the beginning was the myth
"I cannot read Hermann Hesse without feeling that I am drawn into the presence of a deeply serious mind, a mind that is searching for the meaning of life." - Carl Jung
Hermann Hesse was a German-born Swiss writer and philosopher who lived from 1877 to 1962. He was born near Stuttgart, Germany, in the small town Calw, and lived for most of his life in Switzerland. His works, including novels, essays, and poems, explored themes of spirituality, individualism, and the search for meaning in life. He was a prolific critic and wrote over 3000 book reviews that he wrote for 60 different newspapers and magazines in the course of his life. Hesse's works had a profound influence on 20th-century literature and philosophy, particularly in the countercultural movements of the 1960s, winning the Nobel Prize in literature in 1946.
Hesse was born in Calw, Germany, not far from the Swiss border, into a family of Protestant missionaries. His upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of morality and spirituality, which would later become major themes in his writing. After a failed attempt at pursuing a career in seminary, Hesse began working as a bookseller and eventually turned to writing literature. Hesse's most famous works include Siddhartha, obviously an interpretation of Buddhist wisdom, and Steppenwolf, a musing on the Cartesian duality in the West. In both of these, Hesse explored the individual's search for meaning and the role of spirituality in one's life. He believed that modern society had become too focused on material success and had lost touch with the deeper aspects of human experience. He was ant-war and anti-Nationalistic, which he noted as due to his religious upbringing.
To this day, his family house in Calw can be visited, and there is a statue of him on Nikolausbrücke in the middle of the city, a bridge where he spent much of his time as a child playing. There is a Hermann Hesse Museum and the Black Forest Railway from Stuttgart is called the Hermann-Hesse-Bahn.
Nietzsche’s Hyper-Individualism and Hesse’s Repudiation of Transhumanism
As with all German philosophers in the 20th century, Nietzsche's ideas about individualism and the pursuit of excellence resonated with Hesse, and he incorporated these ideas into his own philosophy. In his essay "Nietzsche's Philosophy," Hesse wrote, "Nietzsche's philosophy is essentially a philosophy of life. It is a philosophy of courage and joy, of strength and freedom." Like Nietzsche, Hesse's philosophy also drew heavily from a western interpretation of Eastern spirituality, particularly Hinduism and Buddhism. He was inspired by the teachings of the Buddha and saw them as a way to escape the suffering and confusion of modern life. In Siddhartha he wrote:
Wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else… Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.
His mysticism pushed back on the Nihilism of rationalism, in the same way that Nietzsche attempts to build a bridge out of this abyss through the trans-humanist will-to-power and Schopenhauer through his will-to-life. Because of this Eastern Mystical aspect, Hesse's literature had a profound influence on the countercultural movements of the 1960s. His novels, which explored themes of individualism and spirituality, resonated with the youth culture of the time. In particular, Siddhartha became a favorite of the hippie movement, which saw in it a call to reject the materialism and conformity of mainstream society. One of the hippie trails in Kathmandu is now named the “Herman Hesse” trail due to his influence on the western peace and love movements.
Certainly within his writings there is here a reaction against the hyper-rationalistic Pietistic Protestantism he grew up with (his parents were missionaries), and instead of restoring the ancient Christian metaphysics which had been stripped out in European Christianity, he turned to Buddhism to answer questions ignored by Post-Cartesian Protestantism. You see this struggle against the rigid and unreconciled dichotomy of the Body and Mind in Steppenwolf most clearly, a conflict which does not exist in Ancient Christian branches like Catholicism and Orthodoxy. However, in Rationalistic Protestantism, this dichotomy has no mystical reconciliation and wears heavy upon the psyche.
"Klingsor's Last Summer" is one of Hesse's short stories that deals with the life of an expressionist painter named Klingsor, deeply permeated with Nietzschean motifs. It functions as a commentary on human existence, underlining the challenges of grappling with destiny, the affirmation of life, and existential dread. This essay aims to dissect the interplay of these motifs and the rich philosophical influences embedded within Hesse's narratives.The story captures the summer in which Klingsor feels intensely alive, wrestling with his inner demons, his relationship with life, death, and his artistic creativity. It's significant for its vivid portrayal of the artist's life, and the juxtaposition of life's ephemerality and beauty. Hesse's examination of artistic longing and the search for meaning is what gives this work its importance. It has influenced literature by inspiring contemplation of the nature of artistic pursuits and the existential dilemmas faced by creative individuals.
At the outset, it's essential to understand the thematic essence of the stories contained within "Klingsor's Last Summer." "A Child's Soul," for instance, dives into the tumultuous inner world of a child torn between the pull of darkness and the allure of light. The story introduces Nietzsche's "noble criminal," challenging the societal norms, presenting him not as a mere malefactor but as an embodiment of individual destiny, even when it veers into the realm of the negative. This character serves as a poignant reminder of the human struggle to balance between societal expectations and intrinsic urges. Similarly, "Klein and Wagner" offers a compelling narrative of disillusionment. Klein's rejection of the bourgeois existence and his subsequent realization of his personal inadequacies are a reflection of Hesse's exploration of self-realization. The narrative eloquently combines the wisdom of eastern and western philosophies, borrowing from Schopenhauer's existential musings and the affirming-negating principles of Hindu Yoga.
The title story, focusing on the artist Klingsor, serves as a microcosm of the broader European existential crisis. Facing his mortality, Klingsor's self-portrait becomes a profound commentary on the nature of existence, capturing the zeitgeist of a tired Europe. Intriguingly, the trajectory of Klingsor mirrors that of Nietzsche himself, especially the philosopher's rapid intellectual outpourings before his descent into mental decline. A recurring element in Hesse's characters, notably Klingsor and Klein, is their psychological pathology. These characters, tinged with existential despair, echo Hesse's personal struggles, suggesting perhaps a subconscious reflection of his anxieties regarding his fate. This introspective element elevates the narratives from mere fiction to a profound exploration of the human psyche.
There is a constant Nietzschean tension between the constructed societal life and a more primal existence. Central to many of Hesse's tales is the Nietzschean philosophy of "amor fati" - the profound love and acceptance of one's destiny. In moments of stark existential angst, characters often stumble upon a renewed affirmation of life, suggesting that life's true essence can sometimes be found in its darkest moments. Hesse's narratives are not just limited to Nietzschean influences. The stories often echo elements from other philosophical schools, notably Schopenhauer and Hindu Yoga.
"Peter Camenzind" is Hesse's debut novel and tells the story of a young man's search for meaning in life. Peter, the protagonist, leaves his village to seek knowledge and experience in the wider world. Here there is a profound exploration and subsequent repudiation of Nietzschean ethics. The narrative's protagonist, Camenzind, undergoes a transformative experience wherein the benevolence epitomized by St. Francis of Assisi prevails over Nietzsche's Zarathustra. After a series of edifying events, including a stay in Assisi, Camenzind discerns the pitfalls of adhering too rigidly to a master-morality ethos. Hesse poignantly articulates Camenzind's epiphany: in recognizing the depth, warmth, and authenticity of the lives of those marginalized or deemed "lesser" by society, he comes to question his previous belief system.
Although Hesse's narrative dismisses Nietzsche's master-morality, it is salient to note that Hesse's own ambivalence towards mediocrity often caused fluctuations in his views on humanity. Nietzsche's philosophical influence remains palpable in the portrayal of Camenzind, an archetype representing the tension between introspective isolation and societal integration. Hesse delves into the dichotomy between romanticized ideals and intellectual cynicism, a dynamic further exemplified when external influences, such as Camenzind's penchant for red wine, come into play. Institutional education's representation in the narrative also showcases the influence of Nietzsche and St. Francis on Camenzind's psyche. An exemplary moment surfaces when the protagonist's unfamiliarity with Nietzsche evokes incredulity from his acquaintance.
"Siddhartha" is one of Hesse's most famous works, chronicling the spiritual journey of Siddhartha. This is synthesis of various philosophical thoughts, including those of Nietzsche and Schopenhauer, combined with Hindu Yoga and the panpsychism of St. Francis. The story follows Siddhartha as he transitions through life's various challenges, seeking inner peace and enlightenment. After multiple life experiences, including the pain of parenthood and the brink of self-destruction, Siddhartha discovers that true enlightenment lies in unconditional love and admiration for the world. It is notable for its exploration of the path to enlightenment, drawing heavily from Buddhist and Hindu philosophies. An interesting fact is that the story is not about the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, but rather a fictional character with the same name. It is a spiritual novel that traces the journey of its eponymous protagonist in search of enlightenment and a deeper understanding of existence. Hesse's exploration of Eastern philosophy, the search for inner peace and the interconnectedness of all beings is what makes this work significant. It has influenced literature by introducing readers to Eastern philosophies and inspiring a renewed interest in spiritual quests and self-realization.
"Siddhartha" is the apotheosis of self-education. The priest's son, who is the center of attention there, leaves a Brahmin's house with all its ablutions and rites, which are more obligatory and habitual than true to life. He also leaves the practices of the monks, which have long been familiar to him, and goes to the school of a merchant and a courtesan. He wants to break the rigidity that his father's house has instilled in him. He does not even like to follow the famous Gautamo Buddha. Life is to begin anew and from the beginning. With all pain and disappointments Siddhartha wants to experience it first, but to experience it himself, before he in turn becomes an enlightened man and establishes a doctrine that is no longer a doctrine, that no longer demands obedience.
Also translated as "Beneath the Wheel" or "The Prodigy" (Unterm Rad, 1905), this novel follows the story of Hans Giebenrath, a gifted boy whose rigorous academic pursuits at a Maulbronn seminary neglect his personal development. The story is a critique of the educational system and the dangers of extreme academic pressure. Hesse drew from his own experiences and struggles with the formal education system when writing this novel. After his friend Heilner's expulsion and his own mental decline, Hans returns home, struggling to adapt due to a lost childhood and absence of close relationships. Despite briefly finding solace in mechanical work, Hans tragically drowns after an evening of drinking, in mimicry of Goethe's famous novel The Sorrows of Young Werther.
The entire novel casts light on the deleterious effects of an overly rigid educational system, a criticism he picked up from Nietzsche. The protagonist, Hans Giebenrath, becomes emblematic of a young mind stifled by its pedagogues, culminating in tragic outcomes. The narrative employs a Nietzschean lens, as Giebenrath is depicted as a byproduct of decadence. Furthermore, Hesse employs irony to highlight the insular nature of communities that remain oblivious to the progressive ideologies of figures like Nietzsche. The thematic preoccupation with the archetype of the genius recurs, epitomized by the character Hermann Heilner. He embodies the Nietzschean "Ubermensch" or overman, albeit with nuanced deviations. This character's disposition towards societal norms and his proclivity for artistry underpin his alignment with Nietzsche's tenets. Conversely, Giebenrath's inability to manifest the attributes of the overman underscores the disparities between idealistic constructs and the harsh realities of existence. Hesse's portrayal of Giebenrath serves as a poignant reflection on the challenges faced by the modern individual, emphasizing the mental and emotional tribulations that can arise from external pressures.
Archetypal Symbolic Thinking in Hesse
Carl Jung and Hesse had a personal relationship, mostly through letters but also met several times. They were contemporaries who lived in Switzerland together and read each other’s works as they were published. Jung saw in Hesse's works a reflection of his own ideas about the importance of the individual's search for meaning and wrote, "I cannot read Hermann Hesse without feeling that I am drawn into the presence of a deeply serious mind, a mind that is searching for the meaning of life." The opposite it also true- it is easy to see Jung’s influence on Hesse, particularly in Demian, which is a reflection of Jung’s massive work Aion.
Miguel Serrano, a Chilean writer who travelled across Europe and India studied Yoga, and a close friendship with both Jung and Hesse at the end of their lives. He wrote a “C.G. Jung and Hermann Hesse: A Record of Two Friendships” where he records their relationship. Many letters are reproduced in this book including documents of great importance written to the author by Jung shortly before his death, explaining his ideas about the nature of the world and of his work.
Hesse’s acquaintance with the psychologist Jung’s theory of archetypes had a decisive influence on Hesse's work, which first became apparent in the story Demian. Nietzsche, in his early works on Greek Philosophy, also used Archetypal thinking, but Jung’s theories were explicit and integrated into modern Psychology.
"Demian" is a coming-of-age story that delves into the journey of self-discovery of a young boy named Emil Sinclair, but has strong Nietzschean and Jungian meta-psychological themes. This novel is significant for its exploration of the duality of human nature, the influences of Jungian psychology, and the stages of individuation. It is an intricate blend of Jungian archetypes, dream interpretation, and introspection, showcases Hesse's deep engagement with Carl Jung's psychoanalytic theories. However, the ethical compass of the novel leans towards Nietzsche's philosophies. One can discern this Nietzschean influence particularly in the recurrent leitmotif: the symbol of Cain. Hesse's choice of Cain, the archetypal first murderer and villain, exemplifies Nietzsche's emphasis on transgressing traditional moral values. Hesse, in a 1930 letter, even likens Cain to Prometheus - viewing him as a symbol of intellect and freedom who faced ostracization due to his audacity.
Within the novel, the character Demian, representing Sinclair's anima or inner self, echoes this Nietzschean perspective, challenging the conventional narrative of Cain as a mere villain. Instead, Demian presents Cain as a symbol of the Übermensch (superman), a select few with the sign of Cain destined to awaken society from its complacency. This symbol reemerges at various pivotal moments in Sinclair's journey, from religious rites to personal epiphanies, culminating in his vision of the God-Mother bearing the mark of Cain. While the novel seems to advocate a new morality for all, it particularly emphasizes its importance for strong-willed individuals with a sense of destiny. These Nietzschean supermen, as epitomized by the enigmatic and flawless Demian, disdain the herd mentality, challenge societal norms, and recognize the transformative potential of experiences deemed sinful or degenerate by conventional morality. But unlike Nietzche, Hesse still posit that there is a universal destiny, or standard for humankind.
The journey of the protagonist in "Demian" is not without its contradictions. Despite the novel's mystical and affirmative undertones, it is marked by moments of nihilism and internal turmoil as was Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zarathustra. Hesse's personal life during the novel's creation – marked by accusations of treason, his wife's mental illness, and his own bouts of despair – undeniably seep into the narrative. His oscillation between the great deals and the shadowy depths of despair reflects a deep engagement with Nietzsche's dual themes of Übermensch and nihilism. Demian is Hesse's attempt to reconcile the idea of the Nietzschean superman with a larger, absolute cosmic order. Hesse's endeavor is not merely to adopt Nietzsche's views but to wrestle with them, especially the challenge of nihilism, and to find a harmonious synthesis between individual empowerment and universal connectedness. Hesse does not embrace Nietzsche's Transhumanism, and recognizes the problem of Nietzsche's philosophy when practically followed, as the Nazis did.
Hesse wrote, "Demian stands for an inner attitude of man towards himself, towards the world, towards God." This theme is what Jung call the process of Individualization.
Hesse uses Jung’s the concept of Abraxas. Historically, it is debates what Abraxas actually was- it is a gnostic esoteric term referring to either an Archon, Aeon, god or demon. Jung’s Seven Sermons to the Dead (1916) re-interprets it as a type of a “will-to-power”:
That which is spoken by God-the-Sun is life; that which is spoken by the Devil is death; Abraxas speaketh that hallowed and accursed word, which is life and death at the same time. Abraxas begetteth truth and lying, good and evil, light and darkness in the same word and in the same act. Wherefore is Abraxas terrible.
Only two years later, Hesse uses this exact interpretation of Abraxas and mentions it 26 times in Demian:
The god is called Abraxas…it appears that Abraxas has much deeper significance. We may conceive of the name as that of the godhead whose symbolic task is the uniting of godly and devilish elements.. our God is called Abraxas, and he is God and is Satan, he has the light and the dark world in him. Abraxas does not object to any of your thoughts, to any of your dreams. Never forget that. But he leaves you once you become blameless and normal. Then he leaves you and looks for a new pot to boil his thoughts in.
Steppenwolf is a novel that follows Harry Haller, a man who has lost his home and family, and spends his days reading and drinking heavily in taverns. He is a contradiction, fighting against his own position as single, middle-aged, and purposeless, yet finding himself surrendering to all the excesses of a privileged life. The novel charts Haller's mental health as he slips between his external well-masked self and the wolf inside, with dominant themes of suicide and the paradox of living a life metaphorically dead. An invitation to a Magic Theater functions as a metaphor for the transcendent, spiritual planes of Haller's suffering. It is very reminiscent of Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra- this journey of spiritual revelation.
Translations of Steppenwolf have historically not translated the title. Rendered in English, it should be a “wolf of the [Eurasian] Steeps”. But the German word sounds ominous and interesting in the German. The wolfs of the Steeps are solidary hunters, travelling vast distances to hunt. The term refers to a character in the novel who is described as a solitary, tormented outsider struggling with his place in society. The term "Steppenwolf" has come to be associated with feelings of alienation and existential angst.
Harry Haller is invited to attend the "Magic Theatre” – which obviously represents a journey of self-discovery, where Harry confronts his inner demons and ultimately finds peace. This is a Jungian theme which Jung called the process of individualization, most clearly broken out in The Undiscovered Self. It is in some ways reminiscent of Nietzsche and Schopenhauer’s heavy emphasis on transformative power of art and the importance of self-exploration in the quest for personal growth.
In Hesse's novel Siddhartha, the title character is on a journey of self-discovery, seeking enlightenment and spiritual fulfillment. The term "Siddhartha" comes from the Sanskrit and refers to the Buddha, who was also on a quest for enlightenment. Hesse's use of the name Siddhartha reflects the novel's themes of spiritual seeking and self-realization.
Hesse's writing style is simple, clean and studded with observations and statements that can swiftly drive the narrative from a mundane scene to a place of enlightenment. His multi-voice narrative and the triptych of theories on Haller himself offer a more balanced and rigorous portrait of the complexities of one man, much like a Dostoevsky novel.
Dostoevsky’s Psychological Pull
Hesse is an early example of Dostoevsky’s seismic impact on the novel as an art form. In Hesse, you see a shift from the Romantic period of Goethe and Schiller, to the living psychological form which Dostoevsky helped shape. Dostoevsky’s great contribution to literature is the vibrant psychological portraiture and the dynamic interaction of the characters who all speak and act seemingly independent of their creators. Damien has similarities to Dostoevsky’s Demons, and Steppenwolf is very similar to Crime and Punishment.
Hesse wrote several reviews of Dostoevsky’s works, which were already translated and widely read in Germany at the time (Dostoevsky published his magnum opus The Brothers Karamazov the same year Hesse was born). Freud wrote a review of Karamazov titled “Dostoevsky and the Killing of the Father”, and Nietzsche read Crime and Punishment and wrote, “Dostoevsky is the only Psychologist I have anything left to learn from”. Einstein sad “Dostoevsky gives me more than any other- more than Gauss!”. Dostoevsky’s impact is very obvious in Hesse’s later works with their deep psychological lives and spiritual interactions with the “demons” of central European rationalistic ideologies. Hesse continued Dostoevsky’s criticism of Utopian rationalism and focus on the spiritual-moral development of the individual’s soul over the “progress” of society. However, Hesse’s anchorless spiritualism is an example of the spiritual wandering that Dostoevsky predicted would result from Protestantism, seeing that Hesse was raised in “Bible-believing” Protestant churches. Hesse’s mysticism and relativism is a flawless example of how the subjectivity within Protestantism (the “Geneva virtues” as Dostoevsky calls them) inevitably devolves into more pernicious secular subjectivism, and ultimately Socio-Political dogmatism as a replacement for religion.
Hesse read Dostoevsky through a Freudian and Nietzschean lens, which is ironic since they represent the poison of Modernism that Dostoevsky reproached so strongly. The devil Ivan talks to in Karamazov has Nietzsche’s entire worldview flawlessly expressed, and Dostoevsky puts on display in this work the self-deception and death of Humanness in Nietzsche’s Will-to-Power, and in his other works, Freud’s understanding of Sexuality as an Ontologic descriptor of being. Hesse still maintains parts of these worldviews. Still, Hesse sees Dostoevsky’s works as prophetic, especially in light of WWI, WWII and the Soviet genocides:
…the important thing is that for three decades these books have been more and more perceived by the youth of Europe as important and prophetic. The strange thing is that we face these criminals, hysterics and idiots of Dostoevsky in a completely different way than we face any criminal or fool characters of other popular novels, that we understand them so uncannily, that; we love them so strangely, that; we find something in us that is related to and similar to these people… - his work is admired by us not as the expression of highly developed insights and skills, not as the artistic imprint of a world that is basically known and familiar to us, but we perceive it as prophetic, as a foreshadowing of a decomposition and a chaos that we have seen gripping Europe for several years now.
Each of us must once, one moment in our life, experience in ourselves something like Myshkin - experienced, where he stood close to the execution in his clairvoyant seconds, like, and from which he emerged with your look it Dostoevsky himself in those minutes of the Prophet.
