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. ...
memory, as in the case of Haller's realisation that Hermine resembles Hermann (see previous section).49 Goldmund, Harry Haller, Klingsor, as well as certain other main characters in his short stories and novels, experience a sudden 'awakening7 in looking at themselves in the mirror; their own reflection startles them as they suddenly realise their features have undergone changes they had failed to notice previously. Affecting the 'duration', one of the three components through which Genette describes the 'time-category' in the narrative discourse (Genette, 25), epiphanies can also be 'a valuable instrument for drama, presenting in a scene or event what might otherwise have to be explained or summarized' (Beja, 23). This pertains to the juxtaposition of the characters of Mozart and Pablo in Der Steppenwolf. By means of this 'revelation', Hesse brings together, condenses, and develops two main threads in the novel: the discussion on the aesthetic value of 'jazz' and, on a more spiritual plane, the question of immortality (See 3.4 and 6.5). Another such moment can be found in Peter Camenzind, when the protagonist's father vents his sorrow for the death of his spouse on Peter. The loss of his mother and the conversation with his father unleash an uncontrolled flow of memories in Peter.50 Boulby observes that Hesse expands the narrative of these memories in order to gain dramatic intensity. Though it lacks the sensuous immediacy which came to be a feature of the typical moment of 'awakening' (Erwachen), it makes conspicuous use of the relativity of time, by an expansion of Erzahlzeit (narrating time) and a maximal contraction of erzahlte Zeit (narrated time). There is a gradation of such moments in Hesse's novels. Though this particular example is rather abstract and unreal, at their most intense and lyrical they have a vital contact with sensuous reality. While by their very nature they are not violent outbursts, they usually exhibit something of the emotional force, and often the poignant strength of memory. (35-36) Karalaschwili strikes a similar note in relation to the finale of Klein und Wagner, where the recounting of Klein's final thoughts and moments of life far exceeds the short span in which they are actually experienced by the character: 'Die 49 A subjective moment of revelation is expressed in terms of a change in the observed object. 50 'In diesem Augenblick [...] geschah mir etwas Merkwurdiges. Es erschien mir plotzlich, in einer einzigen Sekunde, alles das, was ich von klein auf gedacht und erwiinscht und sehnlich erhofft hatte, zusammengedra'ngt vor einem plotzlich aufgetanen innerlichen Auge' (PC, SW 2, 33). 133
Beschreibung einiger Augenblicke kurz vor dem Tod [Kleins] nimmt sieben Textseiten em' (238). Epiphany offers us a valuable point of departure for our discussion on eternity in the next chapter, since the emerging of 'epiphanies' in literature at the beginning of the twentieth century is symptomatic of a new approach to the perception of time, as emerges for example in the great interest on 'the fleeting' and, on a more spiritual plane, that of eternity (see Chapter 5). 51 In his essay on Dostojewski's Idiot (1919), Hesse describes prince Myshkin's epileptic seizures as moments of powerful insight and introspection: Das hochste Erlebnis ist ihm jene halbe Sekunde hochster Feinfuhligkeit und Einsicht, die er einige Male erlebt hat, jene magische Fahigkeit, fur einen Moment, fur den Blitz eines Momentes alles sein, alles mitfuhlen, alles mitleiden, alles verstehen und bejahen zu konnen, was in der Welt ist. ('Gedanken zu Dostojewskijs «Idiot»', GS VII, 182) 51 It is worth noting that the concept of'epiphany' originates in a religious context. In ancient Greece, the etymologically related 'teophany' defines the sensible manifestation of a deity to man. This concept resonates powerfully with both Judaism and Christianity, where it refers to the appearance of God to humans. For Christians, 'epiphany' has the more specific meaning of the incarnation of God in Christ. 134
- Page 89 and 90: undramatisch' (letter of 1898 to He
- Page 91 and 92: As far as the formal plane is conce
- Page 93 and 94: called 'absurd'. 53 The most conspi
- Page 95 and 96: existence and the dismissal of any
- Page 97 and 98: in that the former's opera paves th
- Page 99 and 100: 'Bine Arbeitsnacht' (1928), he poin
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- Page 103 and 104: catchy tunes threaten to drain art
- Page 105 and 106: individuationis—accepting his lim
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- Page 113 and 114: Chapter 4 Memory, metamorphosis, an
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- Page 119 and 120: ich sah mich wahrend der ganzen Vor
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- Page 123 and 124: correlative' of childhood in Hesse.
- Page 125 and 126: equally pressing desire to release
- Page 127 and 128: mit Entsetzen erinnerte ich mich an
- Page 129 and 130: Hesse ascribes his fascination with
- Page 131 and 132: weigert sich, es will sich haufig a
- Page 133 and 134: exceptions (see the myth of Pygmali
- Page 135 and 136: internalized and replaced by transf
- Page 137 and 138: to India ('Erinnerung an Mwamba').
- Page 139: there are occasions when we experie
- Page 143 and 144: In the first place, time is no long
- Page 145 and 146: Beja underlines that, for both Berg
- Page 147 and 148: Karalaschwili refers to as the 'Zei
- Page 149 and 150: (unity, memory, and music) merge in
- Page 151 and 152: of Hesse's personal creed as well a
- Page 153 and 154: Nichts war, nichts wird sein; alles
- Page 155 and 156: The complex symbol of the river in
- Page 157 and 158: as revealed by the opening line of
- Page 159 and 160: While Mann's image of endless repet
- Page 161 and 162: Glasperlenspiel). Clearly, 'authori
- Page 163 and 164: spread very rapidly to the human sc
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- Page 167 and 168: Verwandlungen, Goethe and Mozart-Pa
- Page 169 and 170: und die Worte waren kleine schwarme
- Page 171 and 172: After dealing with the rather probl
- Page 173 and 174: greater foe than emotion' (Bergson,
- Page 175 and 176: of experience may be arbitrary and
- Page 177 and 178: identified by Ziolkoski (see Chapte
- Page 179 and 180: Rad (1905-1906) is a noticeable exc
- Page 181 and 182: however, the dualism of 'ideal' and
- Page 183 and 184: 'Witzbold und frechen Bettler' (SW
- Page 185 and 186: from their own creation through an
- Page 187 and 188: observed in Chapter 3 (section 2),
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Beschreibung einiger Augenblicke kurz vor dem Tod [Kleins] nimmt sieben<br />
Textseiten em' (238).<br />
Epiphany offers us a valuable point of departure for our discussion on eternity<br />
in the next chapter, since the emerging of 'epiphanies' in literature at the beginning<br />
of the twentieth century is symptomatic of a new approach to the perception of time,<br />
as emerges for example in the great interest on 'the fleeting' and, on a more spiritual<br />
plane, that of eternity (see Chapter 5). 51<br />
In his essay on Dostojewski's Idiot (1919), Hesse describes prince Myshkin's<br />
epileptic seizures as moments of powerful insight and introspection:<br />
Das hochste Erlebnis ist ihm jene halbe Sekunde hochster Feinfuhligkeit und<br />
Einsicht, die er einige Male erlebt hat, jene magische Fahigkeit, fur einen<br />
Moment, fur den Blitz eines Momentes alles sein, alles mitfuhlen, alles<br />
mitleiden, alles verstehen und bejahen zu konnen, was in der Welt ist.<br />
('Gedanken zu Dostojewskijs «Idiot»', GS VII, 182)<br />
51 It is worth noting that the concept of'epiphany' originates in a religious context. In ancient Greece, the<br />
etymologically related 'teophany' defines the sensible manifestation of a deity to man. This concept resonates<br />
powerfully with both Judaism and Christianity, where it refers to the appearance of God to humans. For<br />
Christians, 'epiphany' has the more specific meaning of the incarnation of God in Christ.<br />
134
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