On the Way
The Early Works of Hermann Hesse Book 37 · Marchen Press
Ebook
119
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
In 1915, alongside Knulp, Hesse published a slender and lesser-known work titled Am Weg (“On the Way”). This was released by a small press in Constance (Konstanz) while Hesse was residing in Switzerland during the First World War. Am Weg can be translated as “On the Way” or “By the Roadside,” and that title signals its reflective, transient nature. The story (or essay—it straddles genres) follows an individual who pauses during a journey, literally by the side of a road, and muses on the path behind and ahead. This collection of 8 vignettes weaves a tapestry of introspective narratives that delve into the interplay between humanity and the natural world, the passage of time, and the existential quest for meaning. Central to Hesse’s work is the portrayal of nature as both a sanctuary and a mirror for human emotion. Through these stories, Hesse affirms that even in the face of mortality and disillusionment, there is grace in the act of seeking—whether through the song of a fountain, the kiss of a stranger, or the quiet persistence of a thawing spring. This new edition features a fresh, contemporary translation of Hesse's early work, making his philosophical, existentialist literature accessible to modern readers from the original Fraktur manuscripts. Enhanced by an illuminating Afterword focused on Hesse's personal and intellectual relationship with Carl Jung, a concise biography, a glossary of essential philosophical terms integral to his writings (his version of Jungian Psychological concepts) and a detailed chronology of his life and major works, this robust edition introduces the reader to the brilliance of his literature in context. It not only captures the depth and nuance of Hesse’s thought but also highlights its enduring impact on the debates of the mid-20th century, contemporary culture and Western Philosophy across the 20th and into the 21st century.
About the author
Herman Hesse (1877-1962) navigated a life shaped by psychological turbulence that fundamentally transformed his literary vision following his pivotal encounter with Carl Jung's analytical psychology. After suffering a severe breakdown in 1916 amid his crumbling first marriage and the ravages of World War I, Hesse underwent intensive psychoanalysis with Jung's student J.B. Lang and later with Jung himself, sessions that would profoundly alter his creative trajectory. This Jungian influence became evident in his subsequent works, particularly "Demian" and "Steppenwolf," where the protagonist's journey toward individuation—Jung's concept of integrating the conscious and unconscious aspects of personality—emerges as a central theme. Hesse's correspondence with Jung continued for decades, their intellectual relationship deepening as Hesse increasingly incorporated Jungian archetypes, dream symbolism, and the notion of the shadow self into his narratives of spiritual seeking. The writer later acknowledged that Jung's therapeutic methods had not only rescued him from psychological collapse but had fundamentally reshaped his understanding of human consciousness, enabling him to transmute his personal suffering into the allegorical quests for wholeness that characterized his most enduring works.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
