A Study On The Poetic Viewpoint Of Existence In Hesse’s Mid-period Novels

Hermann Hesse,as one of the representative figures of German new Romantic literature,integrated the experience of poetic survival into his novel creation,and had an important influence on the German ideological circle.Hesse’s works mainly focus on exploring the living conditions of modern people,aiming at pointing out the path of poetic survival for human beings.Most of the domestic academic studies on Hesse focus on the general paradigm of literature,ignoring the cultural background of German Romanticism,and ignoring the existential value of Hesse’s literary works.As the American scholar Ernst Behler put it: "Romantic literary theory should not be reduced to a certain chapter of the history of criticism and literature,it is a fundamental reflection on ’poetry’ without margin or end." Hesse constructed his novel survival thought on the basis of inheriting the German romantic thought.By exploring the arduous course of the individual leading to the self and reflecting on the root of the masking state of the "true self",he constructed a way of survival leading to the "inner self".In addition to the introduction and conclusion,the thesis mainly divides into four chapters to explain Hesse’s poetic view of existence reflected in his mid-period works:The first chapter aims to explore the formation background and theoretical origin of Hesse’s poetic survival thought.During a period of social transformation and ideological upheaval in Europe,Hesse was deeply aware of the confrontation between modern civilization and its inner spirit,and the existential crisis that modern people face.Therefore,he tries to solve the problem of "existence" of modern people by pointing out the way to return to themselves for those modern people who are lost in the metaphysical astray.On the other hand,Hesse,who grew up at the turn of the century,felt deeply that the modern scientific and technological rationality brought people’s ideological liberation,but also realized the division of people’s living state under the scientific and technological rationality.Hesse inherited the German traditional thought since the 18 th century,especially with the romantic writers have a spiritual fit,all these provide the necessary nutrients for Hesse’s poetic survival thinking.Hesse formed his own unique thoughts of poetic survival,and explored the romanticized world and life through novels.The second chapter,based on Hesse’s four works of Demian,Siddhartha,Der Steppenwolf and Narziss und Goldmund,and combined with the concept of "bounded state" mentioned in Jaspers’ philosophy,analyzes the protagonist’s exploration to break their "bounded state" in Hesse’s works,so as to realize infinite existence in limited life.This is not only the solution to the mystery of life in romantic philosophy,but also an eternal philosophical proposition highlighting personal experience.The core proposition of Hesse’s works is to pay attention to the individual living state,especially to the mental state of people in the modern transition period.Hesse gives humanity and the world deep humanistic care by opening up the hidden parts of the spiritual world of people who are neglected in daily life.On the one hand,Hesse’s novel creation transcends the spiritual dilemma,on the other hand,it also points out to us the root solution of the problem of human existence,that is,a road to the inner self.The third chapter focuses on the analysis of Hesse’s specific path to explore the path to the inner self.Hesse lived in a time when the free development of the individual was severely hindered.From his personal experience,he clearly felt the fragile and fragile mind of the lost individual,discussed how the developing individual can maintain the independence of life existence and finally realize himself,and further pointed out that the poetic world is the core of the human spirit,which reflects Hesse’s confirmation of the noble value of individual life.At the same time,in view of the serious disconnection between modern people’s self-existence and survival society,Hesse constructed a "spiritual utopia" to settle the wandering soul of modern people.The fourth chapter mainly discusses the value and limitation of Hesse’s poetic existence thought.Hesse’s thought of poetic existence starts from criticizing rationalism and further points out that the expansion of modern scientific and technological rationality is at the cost of the loss of individual life freedom.Therefore,in view of the present situation of modern people’s schizophrenia,Hesse realized his poetic salvation for individual survival in an integrated way.Although many of Hesse’s thoughts lack the soil of reality,in general,his poetic survival thought is the awakening of human existence consciousness,and inspires us to strive to escape from the limited life in order to pursue a higher poetic life.