Dualism in Hermann Hesse's Narziss Und Goldmund

In Narziss und Goldmund (1930) Hermann Hesse presents the theme of dualism in the human experience. This novel has been criticized as an oversimplified and didactic presentation of life's conflict. Although Hesse does present the groundwork of his theme directly in the text through the character Narziss, he also uses other techniques to povide the reader with a subtle, in-depth view of the dichotomy of existence. In order to illustrate life's dualism, Hesse employs various techniques. He presents the two central characters, Narziss and Goldmund, as personifications of the two opposing sides of existence. He also structures the novel such that the setting and plot of the novel, and numerous symbols and leitmotifs all shed light on his central theme. In addition, Hesse uses secondary characters to futher enhance this presentation. Finally, he reproduces the theme of dualism in the structure and style of the novel. An understanding of Hesse's use of all these techniques clearly shows that his representation of life's dichotomy is not as simple as it appears at first glance. Narziss und Goldmund isn't just a lecture on the basic ideas of dualism; it paints a picture of life and its central dualism as rich and complex as life itself.