What does /lit/ think about Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse?
Comfy and timeless. A quick, tight read.
>>25313156it's his most famous novel!
>>25313156My second least favorites of his works (Damien is worse imo). Narcissus and Goldmund is his best.
>>25313156I thought he was supposed to be the buddha or enlightened or something and kept thinking 'ok NOW is when he transcends' but it never happened. So I guess it was just a story about a buddhist, not the buddha.
I just read this and I will post my normie book club review bc im lazy:For the first couple of chapters, I was feeling strange about this story. What was it leading to? A confused boy? A lesson on Buddhism?Then it clicked as I sat down for the 2nd half of the story. The musings of Siddhartha are interesting and I would be lying if I could really tell you any of his beliefs.However, the prose in this novel is absolutely beautiful.When he is meditating on the river and is living the life of many creatures from birth to death, it was all very striking. The symbolism as well was very strong, yet not right in your face. E.G the river being the border between the spiritual and physical world.As I read Nietzsche's criticism of asceticism a few months prior it was a "fun" thought exercise to compare this work to that critical essay. Siddhartha himself brings up some of the same points. Additionally, learning a little about Hesse's life and the pre-WW1 period in Europe (review on that coming soon) also just enhanced my appreciation of this tale. I have another work of his on my shelf that I mean to read soon.SPOILER: I really loved the ending that Siddhartha found enlightenment through experiencing life in many forms, not just from the rigid ascetic life.Note: The version I read had some essays included that were from a Hesse academic. This additional reading really strengthened and fleshed out some of the imagery for me. I could see this story being given a lower score from modern readers, but I firmly believe this work is deeper than a first read allows.
>>25313156I read the first few chapters and it felt like western hippie nonsense masquerading under Buddhism aesthetic.
>>25313156Perfectly explains why boomers are the way they are.
>>25313156I only ever read it once like, ten years ago. I remember thinking it was pretty good.
Haven’t read it. It’s gay.
It's a fine text with a fine message. Just keep looking, there's wisdom everywhere, we all get there in our own way. Follow it up with Evola if you've schizophrenia.
I read it and I liked it. I thought it was well crafted. When it was over, I was happy it was over and never picked up the book again.
>>25313156Was good before I knew how disgusting pajeets are and those disgusting pajeets were everywhere. It's morally wrong to humanize them (which this book does).
>>25313212He does become enlightened by the end though.
I read it very young, it affected me much. I tend to categorize people into two distinct archetypes: the Siddharthas and the Govindas.
>>25313589What's the difference?
its great. his other novellas, knut and wandering are also wonderful. Work your way up to Narcissus and Goldmund.
> no you see like, I get to be enlightened even though I had my fun with sex and money and drugs because they like made me aware how much better the simple life is, manNo wonder the hippie movement turned into the biggest nothing of the 20th century. Awful book with no meaningful message. Only a lateral step from inspirational self-help. Introspection with depth is simply closing ones eyes and seeing nothing.
>>25313589I too read it very young. I think it's best to read when you're young. It was my gateway to classic literature.
>>25313770You cannot be enlightened without having experienced those things
>>25313770>Awful book with no meaningful message.life is like a river
>>25313212>So I guess it was just a story about a buddhistNo it was about a Śramaṇa who was on his own path to enlightenment while living in an area and timeline where the Buddha was around.
>>25313304That is so interesting
I liked it much more than Steppenwolf.Everything is a build up to Glass Bead Game though, that's the real shit.
I recommemded it to a guy in college and he got pissy and started telling people I was a nazi because he'd confused Hermann Hesse for Rudolph Hess.
>>25313156I remember reading and enjoying it a long time ago. I should read it again.
>>25316941>read siddhartha>"steppenwolf is the real shit bro!">read steppenwolf>"demian is the real shit bro!">read demian>"n&g is the real shit bro!">read n&g>"glass bead game is the real shit bro!"You faggots have memed me into reading Hesses's entire oeuvre
>>25313156I read it as a teenager and it seemed deep and meaningful but all I remember is the woman that showed him women. I bet if I read it now at 30 it would seem like self help indian bullshit. The kind of mysticism that only worked before we had video of India
I tried reading another book by him, The Glass Bead Game, 'cause some BPD girl I met online had it as her favorite book, and it was absolute dogshit
>>25317726after GBG read BOM
>>25318397>>25316941Glass Bead Game is good in context of his other stories, but just good. I understand why he thinks the 3 stories at the end should have been more important than the life of Knecht. He still failed in GBG to accomplish what he needed to. Only Narcissius and Goldmund is successful in doing what Hesse keeps trying to accomplish in his books.
>>25318456>BOMWhich book is that
It felt notably un-spiritual and just playing at stereotypes of spirituality
>>25318733The Book of Marlon
>>25313156Better than Steppenwolf
>>25313156>What does /lit/ think about Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse?I read it 10 years ago.I liked it, but I haven’t thought about it since then (probably because it did all the thinking for me).Nietzche’s Zarathustra character is so much more ponderable to me because he’s such a philosophical lolcow.But when I really need it, I have the capacity in me to make the world make sense for me like the characters a the end of Siddhartha.While I’m vibing above water, however, why not indulge in some disaster to keep my gyroscope off-kilter, to feel alive?We’ve got our whole wrinkly lives to contemplate rivers, and we’ll know their stillness all the more in that future time if we party most harty now.Basically the strat is to read this book young and then revisit it old; in the meantime read crazier stuff.
