THE MYTHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF HERMANN HESSE'S NOVELS 'DEMIAN,' 'SIDDHARTHA,' AND 'DER STEPPENWOLF'

An analysis of Hermann Hesse's three novels Demian, Siddhartha, and Der Steppenwolf is presented within the framework of world mythology as outlined by Joseph Campbell in his work The Hero With a Thousand Faces. The study seeks to deduce the meaning of the works through analysis of their mythological structure with the ultimate objective of clarifying the way Hesse views the relationship between human desire and experience. This presentation of desire and experience is seen through the development of the characters and the delineation of the plots.; In Chapter I particular notice is given to the typical structure of world mythology. Additional attention is given to Hesse's knowledge of world mythology and his own interpretation of the importance of the mythological journey. Finally, this chapter reviews three scholarly works concerned with myth in the novels of Hesse.; Chapter II analyzes Hesse's novel Demian and shows how it reflects the typical pattern of world mythology on two levels. First, the study demonstrates that the external structure, the sequence of events, is similar to the mythological pattern. Second, it illustrates that the internal structure, the conscious and unconscious events that occur, also coincide with the mythological structure.; Chapter III on Siddhartha shows that the novel also conforms to the pattern of world mythology closely. The analysis is again on two levels, external and internal.; Chapter IV studies Hesse's novel Der Steppenwolf. In showing that the events of Der Steppenwolf follow the basic pattern of world mythology the study focuses on the internal structure.; From these analyses it becomes possible to deduce a pattern for Hesse's presentation of the relationship between human desire and experience. Chapter V, then, depicts this pattern as Hesse wrestles with the problems of human existence. This chapter concludes the study and establishes that Hesse has used an artistic application of the triadic structure common to world mythology to organize plot delineation and as a vehicle of communication for character development.