HERMANN HESSE AND THE DIALECTICS OF TIME Salvatore C. P. ...
HERMANN HESSE AND THE DIALECTICS OF TIME Salvatore C. P. ... HERMANN HESSE AND THE DIALECTICS OF TIME Salvatore C. P. ...
In the second case, the transformation appears as a blunder on Harry's part due to his strained perception after the long night spent at the ball followed by the kaleidoscope of events in Pablo's 'Bilderkabinett':42 Und indes er es sagte und eine Zigarette aus der Westentasche zauberte, die er mir anbot, war er plotzlich nicht Mozart mehr, sondern blickte warm aus dunklen Exotenaugen, und war mein Freund Pablo, und glich auch wie ein Zwillingsbruder dem Mann, der mich das Schachspiel mit den Figiirchen gelehrt hatte. «Pablo!» rief ich aufzuckend. (SW 4, 203) While Hermine's metamorphosis unfolds progressively, Mozart's is not narrative as in Kafka's Die Verwandlung-and happens suddenly, only prepared by Harry's brief statement on the changed attire of the composer a few pages before: 'erst beim zweiten Blick von mir erkannt, Mozart, ohne Zopf, ohne Kniehosen und Schnallenschuhe, modern gekleidet' (SW 4,197). The last case of metamorphosis in Hesse to be discussed here is the 'butterfly'. Butterflies have always held a considerable fascination for human beings, captivating the interest of scientists, collectors, and artists. In view of their short life span, nimble flight and the colourful patterns of their wings, these insects have been regarded as a symbol of beauty and transience or immortality. Their life cycle, including three fundamental stages (caterpillar, chrysalis, full development), has also been associated with metamorphosis. 43 Hesse was intrigued by these insects, the beauty of which fed his imagination: denn der Schmetterling ist ja etwas Besonderes, er ist ja nicht ein Tier wie alle anderen, er ist eigentlich iiberhaupt nicht ein Tier, sondern blofi der letzte hochste, festliche und zugleich lebenswichtigste Zustand eines Tieres.44 ('Uber Schmetterlinge' in KF, 287) As a child, he was a collector and, later on in his life, he would take part in expeditions just to catch sight of certain species, as recorded in an account of his visit 42 The consequences of this transformation on an aesthetic level were discussed in 3.4. 43 As perceptively pointed out by Michels in his 'Nachwort' to Schmetterlinge, butterflies were a symbol of immortality by ancient Greeks, 'Den Griechen waren die Schmetterlinge Erscheinungsformen der Seele und zugleich Symbole fur deren Unsterblichkeit' (81). 44 Papageno, one of the main characters in Die Zauberflote, a favourite Opera of Hesse, is a creature halfway between man and bird which, by virtue of its dual identity, fits well into Hesse's idea of metamorphosis. Moreover, 'Papageno' recalls the German for parrot, another animal Hesse is fond of: 'Und oben auf seinem hohen, drahtenen Geha'use saB unser grauroter Papagei, alt und klug, mit gelehrtem Gesicht und scharfem Schnabel, sang und sprach und kam, auch er, aus dem Fernen' ('Kindheit des Zaubereres' in TF, GS IV, 456). 129
to India ('Erinnerung an Mwamba'). Butterflies appealed to Hesse by virtue of their nature which, for him, suggested a harmonious combination of opposites. He felt that certain names attributed to butterflies in various European languages expressed the intrinsic unity and duality of their being: 'Und der Sammelname »Schmetterling« enthielt in seinem Klang jedesmal die lebendige Erinnerung an das zweigeteilte Fliigelwesen, wie sie im alten deutschen Wort »Zwiespalter«, in Fifalter, im italienischen farfalla usw. iiberall klingt' ('Uber Schmetterlinge' in KF, 291). To Hesse, butterflies are simultaneously a symbol of the ephemeral and the eternal (see Chapter 5). Like Hesse's 'Unsterbliche', butterflies cope with extreme weather conditions; Michels underlines the great adaptability of butterflies: 'Die Eier einiger Arten vertragen Temperaturen von minus 80 bis plus 60 Grad' ('Nachwort', Schmetterlinge, 82). In the section of 'Magisches Theater', Mozart's realm is extremely cold for Harry: 'Teufel, war es kalt in dieser Welt! Diese Unsterblichen vertrugen eine scheufilich diinne Eisluft' (SW 4,194). Two further aspects of metamorphosis in relation with Hesse will be considered before bringing this section to a close. The first refers to metamorphosis as an unavoidable consequence of the passing of time which, through its erosive action, imposes changes (i.e. ageing, death) and partially effaces memories. Hesse was particularly sensitive to the fact that everything was doomed to perish, 'nichts hatte Bestand' (NuG, SW 4, 464). Every existence, every feeling had to undergo a process of transformation and fade away; human beings cannot even rely on the immutability of pain and sorrow: 'das Traurige verging, auch die Schmerzen und Verzweiflungen vergingen' (NuG, ibid.). Recollection too is subject to deterioration; from the very moment that Goldmund is reminded of his mother, he realises that her image is constantly shifting in his mind: 'es war das Gesicht der Mutter. Dies Gesicht war schon seit langer Zeit nicht mehr dasselbe' (SW 4, 405). This explains his attempt to fix his mother's contours in a sculpture. 45 45 The features of Goldmund's mother undergo such radical evolution in his mind throughout the novel that the eternal feminine is what Goldmund eventually seeks to portray: 'er sah das Gesicht der Urmutter, uber den Abgrund des Lebens geneigt, mit einem verlorenen Lacheln schfin und grausig blicken' (SW 4,418). 130
- Page 85 and 86: creation is, for Hesse, the princip
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to India ('Erinnerung an Mwamba'). Butterflies appealed to Hesse by virtue of their<br />
nature which, for him, suggested a harmonious combination of opposites. He felt<br />
that certain names attributed to butterflies in various European languages expressed<br />
the intrinsic unity and duality of their being: 'Und der Sammelname »Schmetterling«<br />
enthielt in seinem Klang jedesmal die lebendige Erinnerung an das zweigeteilte<br />
Fliigelwesen, wie sie im alten deutschen Wort »Zwiespalter«, in Fifalter, im<br />
italienischen farfalla usw. iiberall klingt' ('Uber Schmetterlinge' in KF, 291). To<br />
Hesse, butterflies are simultaneously a symbol of the ephemeral and the eternal (see<br />
Chapter 5). Like Hesse's 'Unsterbliche', butterflies cope with extreme weather<br />
conditions; Michels underlines the great adaptability of butterflies: 'Die Eier einiger<br />
Arten vertragen Temperaturen von minus 80 bis plus 60 Grad' ('Nachwort',<br />
Schmetterlinge, 82). In the section of 'Magisches Theater', Mozart's realm is extremely<br />
cold for Harry: 'Teufel, war es kalt in dieser Welt! Diese Unsterblichen vertrugen eine<br />
scheufilich diinne Eisluft' (SW 4,194).<br />
Two further aspects of metamorphosis in relation with Hesse will be<br />
considered before bringing this section to a close. The first refers to metamorphosis<br />
as an unavoidable consequence of the passing of time which, through its erosive<br />
action, imposes changes (i.e. ageing, death) and partially effaces memories. Hesse<br />
was particularly sensitive to the fact that everything was doomed to perish, 'nichts<br />
hatte Bestand' (NuG, SW 4, 464). Every existence, every feeling had to undergo a<br />
process of transformation and fade away; human beings cannot even rely on the<br />
immutability of pain and sorrow: 'das Traurige verging, auch die Schmerzen und<br />
Verzweiflungen vergingen' (NuG, ibid.). Recollection too is subject to deterioration;<br />
from the very moment that Goldmund is reminded of his mother, he realises that her<br />
image is constantly shifting in his mind: 'es war das Gesicht der Mutter. Dies Gesicht<br />
war schon seit langer Zeit nicht mehr dasselbe' (SW 4, 405). This explains his attempt<br />
to fix his mother's contours in a sculpture. 45<br />
45 The features of Goldmund's mother undergo such radical evolution in his mind throughout the novel that the<br />
eternal feminine is what Goldmund eventually seeks to portray: 'er sah das Gesicht der Urmutter, uber den<br />
Abgrund des Lebens geneigt, mit einem verlorenen Lacheln schfin und grausig blicken' (SW 4,418).<br />
130
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