Siddhartha: Full Book Summary - SparkNotes
Siddhartha, the handsome and respected son of a Brahmin, lives with his father in ancient India. Everyone in the village expects Siddhartha to be a successful Brahmin like his father. Siddhartha enjoys a near-idyllic existence with his best friend, Govinda, but he is secretly dissatisfied.
Siddhartha: Study Guide - SparkNotes
German-Swiss author Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, published in 1922, is a philosophical novel that explores the journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. The plot follows Siddhartha, a young man in ancient India, on his quest for spiritual awakening.
Siddhartha: Key Facts - SparkNotes
Full Title Siddhartha. Author Hermann Hesse. Type of Work Novel. Genre Spiritual and Religious Novel. Language German. Time and Place Written 1919–1921, Switzerland. Date of First Publication 1922. Publisher Bantam. Narrator An unnamed narrator tracks Siddhartha’s spiritual progress. Point of View Third-person omniscient. The point of view ...
Siddhartha: Themes - SparkNotes
In Siddhartha, an unrelenting search for truth is essential for achieving a harmonious relationship with the world. The truth for which Siddhartha and Govinda search is a universal understanding of life, or Nirvana.
Siddhartha: Symbols - SparkNotes
Siddhartha first sees the smile in Gotama. The smile evokes Gotama’s saintliness and peace, and it impresses Siddhartha. Even when Siddhartha argues with him, Gotama responds with a smile, indicating the balance of an enlightened soul.
Siddhartha: Hermann Hesse and Siddhartha Background
A work that featured some unquestionably autobiographical content, Hesse’s debut novel told the tale of an idealistic and driven youth who leaves his home in a Swiss mountain village to become a poet. Hesse’s follow-up novel in 1906, Unterm Rad, also contained many autobiographical elements from Hesse’s own adolescence.
Siddhartha: Full Book Analysis - SparkNotes
Hesse takes the reader through each stage of Siddhartha’s quest for enlightenment and shows how, with each lifestyle he adopts, he gains a new perspective on the physical and spiritual worlds around him.
Siddhartha: Character List - SparkNotes
The novel’s protagonist. Siddhartha sets out on a quest for enlightenment and tests the religious philosophies he discovers. Siddhartha’s most defining characteristic is his desire for a transcendent, spiritual understanding of himself and the world.
Siddhartha: Famous Quotes Explained - SparkNotes
Siddhartha has met the wandering Samanas, and he is entranced by the possibilities of adopting the Samanas’ ascetic lifestyle. In this dialogue with his father, Siddhartha makes clear for the first time just how solid his convictions are and how deeply he …
Siddhartha: Questions & Answers - SparkNotes
After his experiences with the Brahmins, the Samanas, Gotama, and the childlike people of Kamala’s town, Siddhartha returns to the river and Vasudeva, the ferryman, to find peace. He spends years working alongside Vasudeva but struggles to cope with his son’s rejection of him.