Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (1922)

Name: Siddhartha
Author: Hermann Hesse

Siddhartha is a novel by Hermann Hesse that follows the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautama Buddha. The story begins as Siddhartha, a young Brahmin, leaves his family and home to join a group of ascetics in search of spiritual enlightenment. After a period of asceticism, Siddhartha meets the Buddha and is impressed by his teachings, but decides to leave the group and pursue his own path. Siddhartha then meets a ferryman named Vasudeva, who teaches him to listen to the river and find his own path. Siddhartha soon learns the art of trading and becomes successful, but soon realizes that material wealth is not the path to enlightenment. He then meets Kamala, a beautiful courtesan, and falls in love with her. After Kamala's death, Siddhartha meets Govinda, a follower of the Buddha, and together they join a group of Samanas. After a period of asceticism, Siddhartha realizes that the path of asceticism is not the path to enlightenment and leaves the group. Siddhartha then meets a wise ferryman named Vasudeva, who teaches him to listen to the river and find his own path. Siddhartha soon realizes that the path to enlightenment is within himself and he begins to meditate. After a period of meditation, Siddhartha achieves enlightenment and reunites with Govinda. The novel ends with Siddhartha and Govinda walking together, both having achieved enlightenment.

By Hermann Hesse · First published 1922 · Genre: Philosophical Fiction, Bildungsroman, Literary Fiction · 12 chapters · 38,970 words

First lines

Joy leapt in his father's heart for his son who was quick to learn, thirsty for knowledge; he saw him growing up to become great wise man and priest, a prince among the Brahmans.

Bliss leapt in his mother's breast when she saw him, when she saw him walking, when she saw him sit down and get up, Siddhartha, strong, handsome, he who was walking on slender legs, greeting her with perfect respect.

What this Textopian page supports

Siddhartha is listed on Textopian as a novel by Hermann Hesse, dated 1922 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Hermann Hesse
Date: 1922 CE
Language: English
Genres: Philosophical Fiction, Bildungsroman, Literary Fiction, Spiritual Fiction
Length: 38,970 words
Structure: 12 chapters, 1,183 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Siddhartha?
How does this novel by Hermann Hesse fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Philosophical Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Philosophical Fiction — Siddhartha is a novel that follows the spiritual journey of its protagonist, Siddhartha, as he seeks enlightenment. It is a work of philosophical fiction that explores the themes of suffering, love, and the search for spiritual fulfillment.
Bildungsroman — Siddhartha is a bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, that follows Siddhartha's journey from childhood to adulthood as he searches for spiritual enlightenment.
Literary Fiction — Siddhartha is a work of literary fiction that uses symbolism and allegory to explore the themes of suffering, love, and the search for spiritual fulfillment.
Spiritual Fiction — Siddhartha is a spiritual fiction novel that follows the protagonist's journey to enlightenment and explores the themes of suffering, love, and the search for spiritual fulfillment.