STEPPENWOLF (novel)

Author: Hermann Hess (German: July 2, 1877 August 9, 1962) Hermann Hesse was a writer and poet German, but later decided to nationalize Swiss. Hesse is one of the greatest representatives of European literature during the first half of the century. XX Born in Germany, traveled to India on several occasions, where his father was a missionary. Eastern culture decisively influenced his later work, especially in one of his most important books, Siddartha-written in 1922 - which is the life of Buddha. Difficult personality and somewhat sullen, Hesse worked as a bookseller while developing his literary career. His first success was Damien, published in 1919 and already suggests a constant in his work: the development of the individual, rebellion against society jointly. From his condemnation of the participation of Germany in World War I, Hesse chose exile to Switzerland because he was subjected to ostracism by its surroundings. It was there that he wrote his most influential work: Steppenwolf (1927). Hesse received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1946, three years after what would be his last book The Glass Bead Game. From that date just published some poems around the nostalgic and dark. He died in Montagnola, Switzerland at 85 years of age. Main character: Harry Heller Harry Haller is about fifty years old and lives in Basel completely alone. They rented a small room and spends all his time reading, good music, wine and snuff. This character sullen, lonely and distrustful behaves as a perfect werewolf composed of two natures: one human and one wolf.

As Harry lived immersed in this universe of readings and isolation, one day he meets his young teacher, who invited him to dinner with his wife. Haller accepts the proposal of a doubtful, fearing the possibility of fellowship with another human being. After that confirms your individuality and isolation attempts and disoriented, get to a bar and meets a girl shows interest in him. This girl named Armanda, by his cunning, so out of the world in which he was immersed and convinces him to delve into that atmosphere is cheerful and pleasant which always ran away and Harry begins to care for her. The book concludes with several scenes of dramatic symbolism. Harry dives into the world of a great magic theater where to see Paul, a saxophonist, and her friend Armanda tangled on the floor for love, Haller feels misplaced and he introduces his knife into the chest of Armanda as a symbol of rejection. By observing so cruel deed, Paul gets up and Harry will be arrested and tried for justice. After being judged Harry awakes from this dream, of this terrible delusion that he himself had caused. Harry destroys what most wanted, life itself. This end of the play makes clear that Harry split personality drags along the novel: sometimes wolf, sometimes Harry. The protagonist has transformed the comedy of life in a tragic and unbelievable drama.