The Life of Hermann Hesse : Author Profile

Hermann Hesse received the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Goethe Prize in 1946. His themes of self-realization and mysticism keep him popular long after his death, especially during the countercultural movement of the US in the ’60s-’70s. From there, his popularity spread back across the world. As of now, his books have been translated into 60 languages and have sold 125 million copies worldwide.

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Biography

Hermann Hesse was born in Calw, Germany, on July 2nd, 1877.

Young Hermann grew up in a strict Pietist household and struggled to break free from the religious ways of his parents. Hesse’s initial desire to become a writer can be credited to his grandfather, a doctor of philosophy fluent in many languages. He gave Hesse free access to his library, and these novels significantly impacted the child.

In 1891, Hesse was forced into seminary at age 14. Students lived on-site, studying over 40 hours a week. However, a year later, he ran away and was expelled. Hesse wrote, “I was a good learner… but it was only with difficulty that I fitted into the framework of a pietist education that aimed at subduing and breaking the individual personality.” Hesse faced many intense arguments over the next two years with his parents. During this time, he was in and out of many different schools and even forced into mental institutions. In 1893, he finally finished his education.

In 1895, Hesse began a job at a bookstore, organizing, packing, and cataloging books. After his 12-hour workdays, Hesse would start his “personal studies,” including writing. His scripts went unnoticed until his first novel Peter Camenzind became an immediate hit in 1904 Germany. The achievement marked a turning point in Hesse’s life; he could make a living off writing. At this time, Hesse quit his job and became a full-time author.

Hesse lived in Switzerland during WWI and criticized Germany’s militarism and nationalism. Thoroughly disgusted with the country’s instigations of war, he renounced German citizenship, became a permanent resident of Switzerland in 1919 and citizen in 1923.

After World War II, Hesse’s popularity in Germany soared. He died in Switzerland (1962), but his focus on Eastern mysticism and self-realization generated worldwide fame, beginning during the countercultural movement of the US in the ’60s-’70s.

Influences

Many of the storylines and characters he created mirror his personal experiences, such as his efforts to break out of the established modes of civilization to find a genuine spirit and identity. His early novels include these themes, such as Peter Camenzind (1904) and Beneath the Wheel (1906).

Another massive influence on Hesse’s works was Chinese / Indian philosophy, chiefly Buddhism. This can also be found in many of his works, notably Siddhartha (1922).

Dissatisfaction in his personal life led Hesse to Jungian psychoanalysis sessions with J.B. Lang. Hesse became interested in the concepts of introversion / extraversion and the duality of human nature. These psychological concepts can be found in his novels Demian (1919), Steppenwolf (1927), Narcissus and Goldmund (1930), and The Glass Bead Game (1943).

In addition, Hesse was fascinated by the works of Goethe, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche. Conveniently, most of the main characters in his novels are also fascinated with these famous Western philosophers.

Overall, themes explored in his works include the desire for self-knowledge and self-expression, the psychology/working of the human mind, spiritual enlightenment, and the individual in society.

Famous Novels (No Spoilers!)

Peter Camenzind (1904)

Peter Camenzind is a young man from a tiny Swiss mountain village. Feeling the urge to find a different way of life than his father, he leaves to travel around Italy and France. He studies Greek, Latin, and literature and begins writing to support his life. However, his romanticism is brutally destroyed after a tragic ending with his closest friend and multiple failed relationships. Eventually, Peter finds himself again through nature and caring for an invalid named Boppi.

Beneath the Wheel (1906)

Hans Giebenrath is an exceptionally gifted student in a small Black Forest village. His father and the neighborhood priest pressure the child into a scholar’s life, with his only reward being more studies. He is sent to an all-boys seminary school across the country, where life is centered around learning. Here, Hans befriends a young and romantic poet who shows that another life besides academia is possible. After being sent home because of a mental breakdown, Hans is resolved never to return to the formal system of the academy.

Demian (1919)

Emil Sinclair grew up in a middle-class home. Following his mysterious friend Max Demian, he rebels against the world’s societal norms and superficial ideals. Sinclair goes on a search where the end goal is self-realization, even if nobody understands him.

Siddhartha (1922)

An Indian Brahmin named Siddhartha leaves his life of comfort on an expedition to seek spiritual fulfillment. This novel is a tale of Siddhartha’s search, from practicing asceticism with semanas to meeting the Buddha and how he finally reaches his goal.

Steppenwolf (1927)

Harry Haller sees himself as a “Wolf of the Steppes,” half-human and half-wolf. He cannot accept the bourgeois way of life and despises the people for their ignorance. Steppenwolf is a tale describing Harry’s search for humanity within and the attempt to reconcile his two selves. Hesse described this as his most misunderstood novel. He wants readers to know it is a plea for self-examination and optimism about the future.

Narcissus and Goldmund (1930)

Narcissus and Goldmund are an odd pair. While Narcissus is an intellectual, ascetic monk devoted to his studies and religious commitment, Goldmund is an artistic sensualist desiring worldly experience. Both strive for spiritual fulfillment in their separate way. Set in medieval times, this novel explores the spirit and body’s duality.

The Glass Bead Game (1943)

Hesse’s last and longest novel is set in the 23rd century. It follows Joseph Knecht as he develops in Castalia, the isolated place where the intellectual elite flourish. He spends all his time mastering the Glass Bead Game, which requires a blend of aesthetics and philosophy. Eventually, Joseph becomes a Master of the Game. Hesse won the Nobel Prize in Literature for this novel.

Other Books by Hermann Hesse I’ve Read

The Complete Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse (1995)

This is a 22-story collection written between 1904-1918. Some themes explored include war’s destruction, the lures of temptations, and deep spiritual longing. The tales were combined in one manuscript and translated into English in 1995.

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