Siddhartha

Siddhartha is an allegorical novel by Hermann Hesse which deals with the spiritual journey of an Indian man called Siddhartha during the time of the Buddha.

The book was written in German, in a simple, yet powerful and lyrical style. It was first published in 1922, after Hesse had spent some time in India in the 1910s. It was first published in the U.S. in 1951, and became influential during the 1960s.

“Siddhartha” means “he who has attained his goals” or “he who is victorious.” The Buddha’s name, before his renunciation, was Prince Siddhartha, and later Gautama Buddha. The Siddhartha in the book is not the same person as the Buddha, who in the book goes by the name “Gotama”.

The novel takes place in ancient India around the time of the Buddha (6th century BC). It starts as Siddhartha, a Brahmin’s son, leaves his home to join the ascetics with his companion Govinda. The two set out in the search of enlightenment. Siddhartha goes through a series of changes and realizations as he attempts to achieve this goal.