Narcissus and Goldmund

Summary

The novel «Narcissus and Goldmund» by Hermann Hesse tells the story of two friends, Narcissus and Goldmund, who represent opposite personality types. Narcissus is an ascetic monk devoted to intellectual and spiritual pursuits, while Goldmund is a passionate artist and seeker of life's pleasures. At the beginning of the novel, Goldmund enters a monastery where he meets Narcissus. Under Narcissus's influence, Goldmund realizes that his calling is not the monastic life but art and travel. He leaves the monastery and embarks on a journey, experiencing numerous adventures and love affairs that help him develop his artistic talents. Eventually, Goldmund returns to Narcissus, who is now an abbot, and dies in his arms, understanding that their paths were different yet complementary. The novel explores themes of the spiritual and the sensual, the intellectual and the emotional, as well as the search for life's meaning.