Understanding Hermann Hesse

Written for the new generation of students and general readers now discovering the novelist, Understanding Hermann Hesse unravels the stylistic mysteries that traditionally have complicated interpretation of the noted German writer. Tusken clarifies the web of structural patterns that distinguish the Hesse canon; he also reveals the timelessness of the writer's thematic concerns and the timeliness - given the religious experimentation of the current age - of his spiritual quest. Making the case that Hesse deserves renewed, more thoughtful attention from critics and scholars, Tusken identifies the themes that tie seemingly disparate novels together. He sheds light on often overlooked nuances of duality motifs and image-metaphor variations that characterize Hesse's progressive thematic continuum. In addition, Tusken focuses on the importance of a biographical approach in understanding this self-proclaimed confessional writer. Recounting major events in Hesse's life, Tusken appraises their effect on the novelist's search for self and for the meaning of human existence.