THE REPRESENTATION OF HERRMAN HESSE’S SPIRITUALITY
IN SIDDHARTHA AS SEEN IN SIDDHARTHA
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MARKUS IVAN HIMAWAN
Student Number: 114214083
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2018
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
i
THE REPRESENTATION OF HERRMAN HESSE’S SPIRITUALITY
IN SIDDHARTHA AS SEEN IN SIDDHARTHA
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
MARKUS IVAN HIMAWAN
Student Number: 114214083
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2018
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
THE REPRESENTATION OF HERRMAN HESSE'S SPIRITUALITY
IN SIDDHARTHA AS SEEN IN SlDDHARTHA
By
MARKUS IVAN HIMAWAN
Student~urnber:114214083
Approved by
Drs. Hinnawan Wijanarka M.Hum
Advisor
kr-Elisa Dwi Wardani S.S.. M.Hurn.
Co-advisor
ii
25 Juli, 2018
25 Juli, 2018
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
A Sarjana Saslra Undergraduate Thesis
THE REPRESENTATION OF HERRMAN HESSE'S SPIRITUALITY
IN SIDDHARTHA AS SEEN IN SIDDHARTHA
By
MARKUS IVAN HIMAWAN
Student~urnber:114214083
Defended before the Board of Examinerson 31 July, 2018
and Declare Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
,::f
Name
Chairperson : Drs. Hinnawan Wijanarka M.Hurn
Secretary : Elisa Dwi Wardani S.S., M.Hurn.
Member 1 : Dewi Widyastuti S.Pd., M.Hum.
Member 2 : Drs. Hinnawan Wijanarka M.Hurn
Member 3 : Elisa Dwi Wardani S.S., M.Hurn.
Yogyakarta, 31 July 2018
Faculty of Letters
Sanata Dhanna University
Dean
iii
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
iv
Out beyond the world of ideas
of right doing and wrong doing,
there is a field.
I will meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn’t make any sense.
Rumi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
v
This thesis is dedicated to my teachers and mentors
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama : MARKUS IVAN HIMAWAN
Nomer Mahasiswa : 114214083
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada PerpustakaanUniversitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul":
THE REPRESENTATION OF HERRMAN HESSE'S SPIRITUALITY
IN SIDDHARTHA AS SEEN IN SIDDHARTHA
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikankepada perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalandata, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet ataumedia lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari sayamaupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama sayasebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenamya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada tanggal24 Juli 2018
Yang menyatakan,
4Markus Ivan Himawan
vi
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been
previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,
to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material
previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the
text ofthe undergraduate thesis
Yogyakarta, 24 Juli, 2018
~Markus Ivan Himawan
vii
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viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The writer would like to send his gratitude to God the almighty. The writer
was very grateful to receive enormous blessing and many great things that God
has been done to make the writer able to work upon the thesis. The writer would
like to thank to his advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka M. Hum., for all the
kindness and patience to guide every details of the writing process. The writer
would also like to thank his co-advisor, Elisa Dwi Wardani S.S., M.Hum., for
corrections to improve of the writer’s undergraduate thesis. It is the honour for the
writer to be involved under the guidance of great lecturers in this department.
The writer would like to acknowledge his parents for all the support to
finish the thesis. The writer would like to thank to family and friends whose
names cannot be addressed one by one. He felt very grateful to be among the
lovely family members and lots of precious friends. Thanks to all the best persons
that preserve the education process in Sanata Dharma University. The writer was
possible to study and done the thesis because of their excellent works.
Markus Ivan Himawan
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ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ......................................................................................................... i
APPROVAL PAGE .............................................................................................. ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ........................................................................................ iii
MOTTO PAGE .................................................................................................... iv
DEDICATION PAGE ........................................................................................... v
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH .. vi
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY .................................................................. vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................... viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... ix
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................... x
ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................. xi
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1
A. Background of the Study ............................................................................. 1
B. Problem Formulation .................................................................................. 3
C. Objectives of the Study .............................................................................. 3
D. Definition of Terms .................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................... 5
A. Review of Related Studies ......................................................................... 5
B. Review of Related Theories ...................................................................... 11
1. The Theory of Character and Characterization ................................... 11
2. Theory of Representation ................................................................... 14
3. Theory of Eastern Spirituality ............................................................. 15
C. Review on Hesse’s Life .............................................................................. 16
D. Theoretical Framework .............................................................................. 18
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .................................................................. 19
A. Object of the Study.................................................................................... 19
B. Approach of the Study. ............................................................................ 20
C. Method of the Study .................................................................................. 21
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ............................................................................... 23
A. The Characteristics of Siddhartha ............................................................. 23
B. The Characteristics of Siddhartha which Represents Hesse’s Life ........... 32
C. The Significance of Siddhartha to Represents Hesse’s Life ..................... 39
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 53
APPENDICES ..................................................................................................... 55
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ABSTRACT
Markus Ivan Himawan. The Representation of Hermann Hesse’s Spirituality
in Siddhartha as seen in Siddhartha. Yogyakarta: Department of English
Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2018.
Siddhartha is Hermann Hesse’s novel that tells about spiritual journey of a
person named Siddhartha. He did his seeking with his friend Govinda as a
Brahmin, Samana, and follower of Buddha Gotama. Siddhartha left Govinda and
his entire spiritual world to taste glamorous life in town. Siddhartha managed to
become a rich merchant and lived happily with his lover, Kamala. Once again he
was not able to satisfy his deepest desire so that he gave up all his wealth and
went to a wise man Vasudeva. With Vasudeva he settled as humble ferryman but
his soul was liberated by the wisdom of hearing voices from the river. By
experiencing enlightenment, Siddhartha was able to take his old friend Govinda to
the realm he was in.
This thesis is aimed at (1) depicting the characteristics of Siddhartha, (2)
describing Siddhartha’s characteristics to represents Hermann Hesse, (3) find out
the significance of Hermann Hesse’s representation in Siddhartha’s
characteristics.
The writer used the library research method to answer the problem
formulation. The writer collected data and references to be elaborated in the
analysis. In this study, the writer used theory of character and characterization,
theory of representation, and theory of spirituality. The writer used the historical
and biographical approach to reveal Hermann Hesse’s representation in the
character Siddhartha and its significance.
The analysis can prove that the characteristics of the main character
Siddhartha are similar to the characteristics of Hermann Hesse. The indication of
the author’s representation in his novel is strong because of the characteristics’
similarity. The representation of Hermann Hesse was amplifying the eastern
spiritual values with the background of Indian tradition.
Hesse underlined the importance of spiritual seeking to get enlightenment
which considered as the peak of awareness and perception. Hesse’s spirituality
made him become more loving and compassionate towards others. He considered
every being as his part. His meditativeness can be seen from his stillness in
responding to the Western spiritual crisis. Indian spiritual philosophy in the other
hand also embraces duality of reality. The representation is able to broaden the
western perspective to live in harmony by the values of Eastern spirituality as an
alternative of wisdom and philosophy.
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ABSTRACT
Markus Ivan Himawan. The Representation of Hermann Hesse’s Spirituality
in Siddhartha as seen in Siddhartha. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris,
Fakulta Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma University, 2018.
Siddhartha novel karya Hermann Hesse’s menggambarkan perjalanan
spirtual Siddhartha sang tokoh utama. Ia melakukan pencarian spiritualnya dengan
Govinda sebagai seorang Brahman, Samana, dan pengikut Buddha Gotama. Ia
beranjak dari dunia spiritual dan sahabatnya Govinda untuk merasakan
kenikmatan hidup di kota. Siddhartha sukses menjadi saudagar kaya dan hidup
bahagia dengan kekasihnya Kamala. Namun, keinginan dalam lubuk hatinya
masih tidak pernah tercukupi, maka Ia menanggalkan kemewahan hidupnya untuk
tinggal dengan Vasudeva. Dengannya Siddhartha hidup miskin sebagai
pendayung rakit, tetapi kaya akan kebijaksanaan yang ia dengar dari aliran sungai.
Setelah mengalami pencerahan, Siddhartha dapat membuat sahabat lamanya
Govinda melihat dimensi itu.
Skripsi ini bertujuan (1) menggmbarkan karakteristik Siddhartha, (2)
menjelaskan bagaimana karakteristik Siddhartha merepresentasikan karakteristik
Hermann Hesse, (3) menemukan makna representasi Hermann Hesse dalam
karakteristik Siddhartha.
Penulis menerapkan studi pustaka untuk menjawab rumusan masalah.
Data dan referensi perlu untuk dikumpulkan sebagai bahan pembahasan. Dalam
penelitian ini, penulis memakai teori penokohan, teori representasi dan teori
spiritual. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan sejarah dan biografi untuk
menemukan representasi Hermann Hesse dalam karakter Siddhartha dan
pemaknaannya.
Analisis membuktikan bahwa karakteristik dari Siddhartha sang tokoh
utama mengandung banyak kemiripan dengan karakteristik asli Hermann Hesse.
Melihat kemiripan - kemiripan karakteristik maka semakin kuatlah indikasi
representasi pengarang di dalam cerita novel. Representasi dari Hermann Hesse
dimaknai sebagai penyalur nilai - nilai spiritual berlatarkan tradisi India.
Hesse menggaris bawahi pentingnya pencarian spiritual untuk mencapai
pencerahan. Pencerahan selama ini dianggap sebagai puncak kesadaran dan sudut
pandang. Spiritualitas dalam diri Herman Hesse mewujud dalam sikap welas asih
dan peduli pada sesama. Ia menganggap orang lain sebagai bagian dari dirinya.
Sifat meditatif Hesse tercermin dari ketenangannya menanggapi krisis spiritual
Barat pada masanya. Di sisi lain spiritualitas India mengakui dualisme dalam
realitas. Representasi dalam novel ini mampu menambah wawasan Barat untuk
hidup selaras dengan pengetahuan dan filosofi alternatif dari spiritualitas Timur.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha invites readers to jump into spiritual
experiences of Siddhartha, the main character in the story. Siddhartha is the figure
in the novel that has many conflicts because his thoughts and deeds are different
than the common people. His life struggle throughout conflicts led him to find
Atman as his life goal. Atman in the story is described as transcendence inside
every creature in the universe. Many paths of life, he experienced may refer to
symbolize of the writer’s Hermann Hesse experiences to realize eastern spiritual
knowledge.
Hermann Hesse is known as a Nobel Prize awardee of literature in 1946
from Germany. He had been through his early life with strict observance to
religion because his parents were missionaries in India. Later, he found it difficult
to fit in pietistic education, so he went out from school to achieve his dream as a
poet. He published many works since his young age. Later his works influenced
so many young generations to believe in spirituality and act unsupportive against
violence.
A novel is an art which presents us a living world. Novel portrays the real
world but with its own identity (1969: 163). Therefore it can be concluded that the
novel is a fiction work that represents a miniature of human society. It can be said
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as a representation of real life because novel displays experiences, problems, and
also meaning of the story.
The writer’s personal experiences may have a great impact to some literary
work he composed. Novelists may have the part of their life story placed through
their work. Siddhartha is one of many fictional works which contains much
writer’s personal identities in various forms within the story. The representation of
the author inside the novel seems appear often in the plot.
In literary work, there is also a category which composed the reality to write
fiction story. The real experiences of the author’s life are needed in
autobiographical fiction genre. Staton said that “It should become the real event of
the past encountered by the story writer before it composed into the part of a
fiction story” (1965: 65).
This thesis examines Hermann Hesse’s work Siddhartha which focused on
the main character, Siddhartha. The issue may become interesting to analyze
because partly of author’s factual story is represented in his fiction. Siddhartha’s
characteristics analyzed in order to see the representation of the author through his
characteristics in the story. By recognizing the characteristics of Siddhartha that
actually based on life events of the author, the spiritual substance from their
experiences may be revealed. Siddharta’s characteristics will be compared with
the real characteristics of the author. The similarity between the novel’s internal
elements and external elements could lead to the hypothesis of author’s
representation.
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The study may reveal the significance of the main character in this story to
represent Hermann Hesse’s life. Spiritual elements appeared in both Siddhartha’s
life in the novel and Hermann Hesse’s real life become the bridge to find out the
significance of spirituality through Hesse’s representation in his work. It can be
hold by analyzing the hidden meaning behind the novel from the connection
between Hese’s lives through main character.
B. Problem Formulation
In order to analyze the work, two questions was formulated in this thesis:
1. What are the characteristics of Siddhartha in Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha?
2. How does Siddhartha’s characteristics represents Hermann Hesse life?
3. What is the significance of the representation of Hermann Hesse in
Siddhartha’s characteristics?
C. Objectives of the Study
This thesis focuses on Siddhartha as the major character in the novel. The
main purpose of this study is to explain Herman Hesse’s representation in his
novel Siddhartha through the main character, Siddhartha. It can be held by
discussing the questions stated in problem formulation. Firstly, the writer analyzes
the characteristics of the main character, Siddhartha, in Hermann Hesse’s
Siddhartha which represent the author’s life. Secondly, the writer aims to analyze
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the significance of Siddhartha’s characteristics to represent Hermann Hesse’s life
in the novel.
D. Definition Terms
The first term used in this reserch is representation because the theme of
this writing is representation of author’s life story in a fiction character. Peter
Barry said that representation in literary work is the imitation of a real which
commonly called by “the loss of the real” (2002: 87). Representation means the
imitation within two characters between real character / author and the imitation
character in such literary works.
The second term is sigificance which is the intention of the analysis to
unravel. Donald Keesey in Context for Criticism stated that significance means
the hidden meaning behind a novel (1994: 6-7). According to Culler, significance
means easily defined as a form which has a meaning (1975: 16-20). Significance
is used by the reader or researcher to see the deeper meaning behind the literary
works.
The third term is spirituality. Merriam Webster dictionary stated that
spirituality is the quality or state of being spiritual. Sadhguru said that spirituality
begin if a person begin to experience everything as a part of him or herself (2010:
27).
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
One article about Siddhartha, “Hermann Hesse in the Service of the
Spirit” written by Martin Burber says the novel as a product of the First World
War years. The novel reveals question about the author’s spiritual life and also
focused on the ultimate of spiritual journey.
Siddhartha is designated as an “Indic Poem.” A product of the
first postwar years, it gives a new and significant twist to the great
question prevading all these works by Hesse – the question concerning
to the goal of the spirit. Siddhartha, a contemporary Buddha resist the
teaching of the master because it is one-sided. In Siddhartha’s oppinion
no single teaching can do justice to the reality of being. He wants only
to love the world, love it as it is, a world existing in and of itself (1973:
27).
Burber said that the main character was able to see beyond duality for
sin and grace is constantly embraced by Siddhartha as he maintains his stillness.
Meanwhile in reality, it is a fact that the bad side of human being can be
controled by the spirit even though in the fiction world, Siddhartha is still
worldly attached.
When it is no longer obidient to the spirit, rages self-
destructively against itself. As long as Siddhartha remains in constant
meditation, he can embrace sin and grace simultaniously. Siddhartha
will renounce his all-embracing love and take action against evil. In the
dimention of reality, if human evil is not to become overwhelming, the
spirit must time and again make the most rigorous distinctions within
the human world. As a human being, he became ever more intimately
acquainted with this dilemma of the world-loving man (1973: 28).
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In another article, “Hermann Hesse: The exorcism of the Demon” by
Oskar Seidlin, There are some other perspective to see the novel. Seidlin saw
Siddhartha story is a quest of self realization and salvation. Even though solace
was the first he was seeking by being samana and follower of Buddha, but after
some time he went away and continue his seeking. The journey leads the main
character learned to listened the river from a ferryman the most fundamental
lesson which are paradoxical oneness of time and eternity.
The polarity of the hero in the story can be seen as a case of split
personalities of Indian gods. Seidlin comparing the character of Siddhartha
which had the elements of the preserver Vishnu and disolver Shiva. Both gods
were essentially one entity which manifested into two different
personifications. The conflict between the personalities is beyond solution, so
that the main character always contradicts himself.
It is again a quest of self-realization and salvation, and
Siddhartha travels lead through all the stages of self-fulfillment: life
among ascetic, life among courtesans and nabobs of the big cities, hope
to enter the essence. Then is the solution: the stream itself is the coeval
unity, the rhythm of fleeting moments is the everlasting presence ( 1973:
70).
This paradoxical oneness of the opposites, will show us again
how wrong it is to interpret the polarity of Hesse’s heroes in terms of
narrow Freudianism. (It would be about as fitting to discover in the
Indian gods Shiva and Vishnu “neurotic cases of split personalities.”)
That the tension between the poles is insoluble, that the problem of man
is beyond solution, can be learn from the very rhythm of Hesse’s work
( 1973: 71).
Besides articles about the novel, there are theses which analyse Hesse’s
Siddhartha. Thesis which analyse the novel, “Plot as a Symbol of the Spiritual
Quest of the Main Character in Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha”, composed by a
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student of Sanata Dharma University. F. Jati Nugroho in his conclusion stated
that the story develops chronologically and flows as the quest of Siddhartha.
Begin with the exposition when Siddhartha lives as a Brahmin in young ages,
the story went to the complication part which includes most of the chapters in
the novel. Hesse wrote the falling action and resolution in the chapter called
“Govinda”.
The analysis was done by Jati Nugroho leads to the conclusion that the
story event ordered chronologically to symbolize spiritual quest.
The plot of the novel is progressive or chronological. Starting
from exposition, that is, the picture of the life of Brahmins where the
main character Siddhartha lives, the story develops chronologically
following the quest of Siddhartha (2010: 72).
There is a “hidden” plot inside the story which is individuation of the
main character which go along with the plot of the spiritual quest. However, the
plot of the novel that is linear differs with the spiritual plot which is up-ward
spiral with repetitions. Siddhartha, the main character in the spiritual plots
experienced spiritual achievements that consist of five parts.
Those spiritual achievements are: the full recognition of Persona
(symbolized by Siddhartha leaves his life as a merchant), Ego
(Siddhartha awakened by the sound of OM), Shadow (Siddhartha has to
let his son be away), Anima (Kamala’s death) and Self (the unity or the
full recognition of the four stages) (2010: 72).
The first is persona for it symbolized by Siddhartha’s decision to leave
merchant business. Second, the ego, symbolizes by the awakened of the “Om”
sound. Third part is the part when he let his son go which is the symbol of
shadow. Anima phase is pictures on Kamala’s death. The last is self-
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achievement for he had already in unity with universe and recognizes the other
stages he has been through.
Beside those five elements analysis, chronological order of plot
fragments shows the symbolization of spiritual quest of the main character.
Nugroho conducted analysis to elaborate the deeper meaning of th plot structure
in Siddhartha novel.
The events that are ordered chronologically are indeed the
symbolization of the spiritual quest of character Siddhartha. This claim
is what the second analysis tries to prove (2010: 72).
Besides F. Jati Nugroho, there is another study with the same literary
subject from Sanata Dharma University. Johanes Wisnu Permadi in his thesis,
“The Religious Experience of the Main Character in Hermann Hesse’s
Siddhartha”, emphasize Siddhartha’s transformation from an unfortunate
person becomes a person with transcendence consciousness.
In Permadi’s thesis, it is stated that transformation begins firstly when
Siddhartha feels ugly with himself by living with lots of pleasure. The second
event affected him is when his heart cannot bear the fact that his only son left
him. Transformation of his inner consciousness leads his mind to be awakened.
The transformation from wetchedness to transcendence occurs
two times in Siddhartha’s pilgrimage. The first occurs when Siddhartha
feels nauseated with himself after living in the worldly pleasures for
many years, and the second when his heart is deastated after failure to
win his son’s love at the end of story (2000: 44).
Permadi says in his work that the process of Siddhartha’s achievement
is when he goes through frequent introspective thinking while listening the
sound of the river. It guides him to a deeper self-awareness about life. The
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transformation actualizes through acceptance of suffering, individuality and
independence. In his old age, he found the ultimate knowledge of supernatural
and life which is the goal of his quest since young age.
The transformations itself is initiated with something that
emanates from the main character’s inner world. The unconscously
pronouncing “Om” which leads Siddhartha to his first awakening and
also his fequently introspective contacts throuh listening river which
finally surpasses him to a deeper understanding about his life (2000:
44).
Permadi stated that Siddhartha’s finding does not exist in any religion or
dogma. However, Siddhartha in this novel symbolize The Buddha who has
united with inner deity so that he can achieve his wisdom.
The final truth of the diety according to Siddhartha does not
accurately exist in any religious institution along with its dogmas and
teachings. It dwells in everyone’s deep inside soul or the inner being. He
believes that every single person has the capability to be divine if only
they conduct a spiritual journet to themselves. It meabs that each human
possesses a potential deity in himself which Siddhartha symbolises as
the Buddha (2000: 45).
The third related studies the writer wanted to indicate is the thesis
related to the representation theory which still published by Sanata Dharma.
“The Significance of Hermione Granger to Represent Rowling’s School Life in
Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban” composed by Melia Hapsari
Sabarno describes the issue in her work with high details. She stated that the
reality might portrayed into fiction story.
The qualities of Hermione Granger, one of the main characters in the
novel, are the represent of Rowling’s experiences during her school era. The
thesis clarify that Hermione characterizations are diligent, clever, ambitious,
brave and obedient.
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Both her diligence and her cleverness result in her hobby to stay
for hours in library. She was ambitious and forgiving girl. She was also
kind of brave girl. Behind her bravery, she was actually a sensitive girl
who was easy to feel sorry or to have tears if something bad happened
toward people she cared about. She was obidient girl who obeyed every
rule in order to have safety life (2006: 54).
It shows that Hermione likes to read many books in the library, as well
as Rowling who diligent to read the books too. Those natures have a lot of
similarity with the author’s life. The similarities in the natures of both
Hermione and Rowling indicate the representation of author’s school life.
Melia Hapsari’s thesis also analyse deeply the significance of the
representation. Hermione portrayed the position of the author inside the real life
society. She balancing the other characters with their own behavior among
themself and the way the other character treat themself and others. Rowling
creates Hermione in the story to shows her feminine side and give thought and
feeling of woman in the story. Hermione’s achievements above her ambition
show that a man should not underestimate woman. Melia stated that the novel
succeeds to represent her ideas and influence the reader.
She created the character of Hermione Granger to represent her
feminine side. Through the thirteen years old girl as her representation,
she may want to tell the reader about her ambition. Rowling also tried
indirectly to support the feminism world, that man still needs woman to
help him, as it seen in the novel. Yet, man shpuld not underestimate
woman. They needs woman to see the truth and to achieve their goals
(2006: 56).
After previewing study with the same theory, it is known that the
representation theory suitable to observes the deeper meaning of a literary work
from the author’s personal life perspective. The character inside a novel may
portray the author’s struggle inside the society and his idea he wanted to share
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to the readers. Besides the same theory, the study with similar subject of work
shows that spiritual and religious issues from the novel has already been
proposed in many theses. This thesis examines spiritual case from Hermann
Hesse’s Siddhartha as well, but with the representation theory, the thesis may
fulfil the discussion in the previous study. That the messages from Hermann
Hesse through the novel are based on his experiences and ideas to solves
condition in society at the particular era.
B. Review of Related Theories
The theories reviewed in this study are related to the characterization,
representation, and spirituality. Theory of characterization is able to identify
and describe how the character Siddhartha develops his traits in the novel. The
representation theory can be used to see how Siddhartha characterizations
represent Hermann Hesse inside the story. Meanwhile the spirituality
perspective added the clarity about the significance of Hesse’s representation.
1. Theory of Characterization
Characterization is a method to conclude the traits of a character in the
story. Blair said that characterization is one of a technique for an author to sum
the traits of a character which is usually created with more than one (Blair,
1948: 53). The fact that author usually gives many characterizations for a
character can also be analysed through many perspectives which are stated in A
Glossary of Literary Terms by M.J. Murphy. The theory of characterization
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inside the book clearly classified the way to describe characterization into nine
paths.
The theory uses to analyse Siddhartha’s characterization because
perspectives of the theory are suitable to describe Siddhartha’s nature through
the plot. The theory is able to classify which point of views that truly shows the
main character’s characterization. Those ways to analyse the characterization
are:
a. Personal Description
The character can be describes through his physical appearance. It
contains of the details of the clothes he wears, so that the attitude can be seen
from the appearance. Murphy said that the author can describe the character
presentation and outer looks (1972: 161). Character’s appearance can be used
as an important role to symbolize the characterization.
b. Character as Seen by Others
The other character also gives roles to describe the traits of a character.
Through the eyes and opinion of the others, Murphy believes that the author
can describes or reflects the image of the character (1972: 162). Those are the
part of the other character function in the story as characterization can be seen
through various perspectives.
c. Speech
The way a character speaks reflects the personality of the character.
According to Murphy, the author can describe traits through what the character
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says (1972: 164). It covers in every opinion or conversation of a character
because character’s words can be used as a clue his or her natures.
d. Past Life
Past event which experienced by a character can be reviewed to explain
the characterization creates by the author. Murphy stated that experiences
possessed by characters will influence and shape their characterization. Past life
also indicates whether a character’s trait is flat or dynamic (1972: 166). Further,
he explains the form of past event of a character in a story shown. It may appear
in a conversation, direct comment, thought, or utterances by another individual.
e. Conversation of others
According to Murphy, characterization can also be seen through the
dialogue of a character with the others (1972: 167). The utterances show the
opinion and argument that can be analysed to find the natures of a character.
f. Reactions
Situations and event shown by the author gives effects to a character.
The reaction, according to Murphy, makes the readers to know and reveal the
characterization of individual in a story (1972: 168). The more various the
situation, the more traits can be revealed from a character.
g. Direct Comment
Author may directly give a description how does the characterization of
a person portrayed in the story (Murphy, 1972: 170). From the direct
description form the author, readers can grasp the idea from a character without
any assumption of their natures.
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h. Thoughts
Understanding character’s thought, Murphy believes, gives us
knowledge of how differs a character is with the others (1972: 171). It means
various things that can only appear through an individual thinking. The
imagination, hope and intention in characters also show their characterizations
from the inner point of view.
i. Mannerisms
Murphy stated that the writer is able to describe mannerism and habit of
a character. Behavior of a character indicates traits given by the author. The
daily habit and deeds give a significance role to show the characterization of a
person (1972: 173).
Graham Little also writes the ways to see the characterization of a
character. There are three ways: basic characteristics, appearance from various
point of view and place in work (1981: 93).
2. Theory of Representation
A character in a story may represent others which can be seen through
the essence or features of the character. Representation is a term to explain
similarities of an image within literary work with another image inside or
outside the work. Representation in literary work is the imitation of a real
which commonly called by “the loss of the real” (2002: 87).
Andrew Gibson in his book, Towards a Postmodern Theory of
Narrative, divides the representation into two main kinds. Surface
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representation is a kind of representation which can be seen obviously. For its
visibility, the surface representation does not have any masquerade in the eye of
readers. The visibility of the representation can be seen through senses.
Meanwhile, representation of depth included with many features and essences
to be interpreted by readers. The representation of depth cannot be seen from
the outside appearances, therefore the essence of a character’s inside is crucial.
(1996: 81).
The study uses the representation of depth because it is suitable to
compare characteristics of both Siddhartha and Hermann Hesse. Significance of
Hesse’s representation cannot be perceived through appearance or event that
related with the character Siddhartha. Meanwhile the representation of depth
may reveal the main analysis which is the value of Hesse and Siddhartha’s life
as seen in their characteristics.
3. Theory of Eastern Spirituality
The modern world has divided or disect spiritual seeking into many
categorization. Meanwhile in India, where the Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha
story takes place, spirituality has taken hundred and thousand forms.
Spirituality has many interpretations because mainly the spiritual dimention
cannot be preceived through intelect or five senses. Sadhguru said that realized
people did not shaped by certain belief system according to their culture.
Somebody who realize that everything is existentially part of him or herself
means that the person is spiritual
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A realized person is not coming from moralistic attitudes. He will
simply do what’s needed. He comes from his intelligence, not from
belief systems. The very fundamentals of spirituality are just this: if you
begin to experience everything as a part of yourself, then we say you are
spiritual (2010: 24).
As written in Enlightenment, Life the Way it is, Jaggi Vasudev stated
that the fundamental fact about spirituality can be seen from observation in the
nature of life. Even modern science has perceived that every life form is
worked as if it is one mechanism of energy. One cannot realize the oneness of
existence without putting aside the natures of comparison which comes from
five sensory organs.
Modern science is proving to you beyond any doubt, that the whole
Existence is one energy. There is no doubt about it anymore. The same
energy is manifesting itself as mud; the same energy is standing there as
a tree. This is what even modern science says (2010: 27).
Everything that you experience through the sense organs is only in
comparison with something else. Once you are enslaved to the sense
perceptions, you experience the world as fragmented into a million
pieces. You do not see the oneness of the existence (2010: 29).
C. Review on Hesse’s Life
Hermann Hesse was a German poet who’s born on July the second 1877.
He spent his youth in India for his parent’s had been work in a missionary in
India. Six years, since 1880 until 1886 he spent his life lived in Basle, therefore,
he and his family learnt different cultures in many country.
Hesse passed his young age by studying in Wuerttemberg and Maulbronn
theological seminary. Even though he was a good learner, pietist education did
not fit him. At that time he found it subduing and breaking individual
personality. Later, he decided to become a poet to follow his passion.
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In 1899 for the first time his poem appeared in public. He continued his
work until he became a successful writer. According to Ziolkowski, Basle was
the city where he got married and had a son. The country which far from town
was the place he liked to live with his family. They moved several times and
settled for a long time in Switzerland since 1912. Hesse held Swiss
cintizenship since 1923. He liked to travel a lot around these years. Italy and
India were places he memorize and study his childhood in foreign countries
(1973: 8).
From Switzerland Hesse publish many writing to protest the violence and
cruel nationalism which support the First World War. Letters of hatred
continued to be sent to him from the Germany government. Works of Hesse
was banned or destroyed during Hitler’s era. Hesse did not afraid and continues
his resistance against violence. Then, in 1923 he resigned his German
citizenship became the people of Swiss. Beside pressure from his homeland,
Hermann Hesse had to go through hard time of his divorce. Hesse lived by
himself for several years, yet he decided to marry another woman later.
Surviving from crisis, Hesse passed World War and had done composed
many books such as Demian (1919), Siddhartha (1922), Steppenwolf (1927).
He stated that western philosophers influenced his literary works, but not as
much as Indian and Chinese philosophy. Prize in Literature 1946 was awarded
to him for his inspired works which have great ideals and style quality. Hesse
was the second German author who receive Nobel Prize after Thomas Mann in
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1929. He considered to be the best custodian of German spiritual heritage in
contemporary literature (1973: 8).
D. Theoretical Framework
As the guidance of the thesis the limitation of the discussion needed to be
limited. Firstly the writer needs the theory of characterization to explain the
nature of Siddhartha. M.J. Murphy’s theory of characterization is able to
analyze Siddhartha from many perspectives such as utterances and appereance.
This theory also able to clasifiy stages of Siddhartha’s life whether he was
samana, beggar, or merchant. Representation theory becomes an important
knowledge in this thesis. It is used to be the tool to find out the similarity of
Siddhartha’s characterization as the representation of Hermann Hesse’s
imitation life. Even though in the basic image of the novel the representation of
author is blurred, representaton theory can be used to discover the essence or
depth meaning in Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha. The theory of spirituality is
also important to find out the spirituality between the major character and the
author. It is how spirituality grows and creates the personality of the major
character. The last is Hermann Hesse’s life review. It is used as a background
of the author to find out the imitation between the major character and the real
character. It is to compare the real and imitation character in the novel
Siddhartha. Many sources from books, essays, and official online media are
used to complete the base information of this study. Those stated theories are
finally combined to solve the problem formulation composed by the writer.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
This thesis explains the novel Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse which was
first published in 1951 by New Directions. Actually this novel was written in
1919. He started to write Sidhartha when he traveled to India in 1911. He wrote
his novel based on his own experiences. Beside as a novelist, he was known as
Swiss poet and painter. Hesse wrote novels that explore self authenticity from
spirituality and knowledge such as: Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass
Bead Game. He received Nobel Prize in Literature in 1946
(www.gss.ucsb.edu/projects/hesse/life/jennifer, par 36, 1996).
The novel contains twelve chapters. The main character of this novel is
Sidhartha while the minor characters are Govinda, Kamala and Vasudeva.
Siddhartha tells the story of a young man who made a lifetime journey for his
own spiritual seeking. Firstly, Siddhartha was actually lived with his father
which was a Hindu Brahmin. Then, he went with Govinda to learn more about
spirituality with Samana across the street and forest. After some years, they
heard about wise man named Buddha Gaotama.
Sidhartha and Govinda decided to join the group of Samana to meet the
wise man. As time went on, Siddharta agreed with Buddha’s teaching, but he
didn’t seem like to carry his teaching. He escaped again from the Buddha and
lived in town with Kamala. But then, material world in town never gave him
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peace and solace. He left his succesfull and glamorous life and went to
Vasudeva.
Meeting with Vasudeva, he became a ferryman. By lived as ferryman
with Vasudeva, Siddhartha got his realizaton which he seek consciously all the
time in his life. Sidhartha was a kind of spiritual seeker. One day he
accidentally met Govinda again, he was loyal friend who he had never met for a
long time. Suddenly, Sidhartha’s mind showed his realization within his entire
life. Finally, Siddhartha became conscious of his existence and realize the truth
of oneness in every moment in his life.
B. Approach of the Study
A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature elaborates Hippolyte
A. Taine’s historical and biographical approach that used in the thesis.
Biographical approach is a method to analyze literary work from the
perspective of author’s biography which is based on the reality. The theory also
says, literary work is able to reflect historical moment that which has
significance to the world in which the author lives.
Actually, poets have from earliest times been the historians, the
interpreters of contemporary culture, and the prophets of their people.
Take,for example,a poet as mystical and esoteric as William Blake.
Many of his best poems can be read meaningfully only in terms of
Blake's England. His "London" is an outcry against the oppression
human beings by society. (1992: 53)
The historical and biographical approach sees literature work or the
characters in writing as a reflection of its author’s life and era which he lives in.
The approach can be used as a tool to show the connection between the author’s
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life and their literary works. This thesis uses historical and biographical
approach to explore author’s life and understand his literary work that presented
in a form of novel.
The knowledge from Hermann Hesse’s life becomes an important part
to grasp the idea which he tried to communicate to the reader. Biographical and
historical materials are essential for the audience to appreciate the literary work.
In the thesis, the writer explored the real life of Hermann Hesse from books,
essays and credible online sources as the background knowledge to analyze the
novel. Historical and biographical approach helps the writer to grasp the
significance of the representation of the author’s spirituality in character
Siddhartha inside the novel.
C. Method of the Study
This study applies library research method to find data to be analysed.
The novel Siddhartha and Hermann Hesse’s biography are the primary sources
in the study. The secondary sources in the study are printed materials in the
form of theories and essays as the reference to analyse the novel. The theory is
taken from approach and criticism of literature in the library. The writer also
uses another data which taken from essays and journals from trusted data in the
internet.
Firstly the writer read Siddhartha as the primary source. From the data,
the characteristics of hero in the novel, Siddhartha, could be revealed. This step
answered the first issue of the thesis which is characteristics of Siddhartha.
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The next step was comparing the data gathered from the first step of the
analysis with the biography of Hermann Hesse. Representation theory became
the basic of the second phase of analysis. Representation theory was the
suitable tool to analyse the character Siddhartha as a portrayal of Hermann
Hesse’s life. Many aspects of Hesse’s real life was reflected in the character of
Siddhartha in the novel through biographical and historical approach. Theories
were taken from An Introduction to English Literature, Reading and Writting
about Literature, An Introduction to Literature Studies, and A Handbook of
Critical Approaaches to Literature.
The last step of the study was elaborating the significance of Hermann
Hesse’s representation in Sidhartha’s character. The novel Siddhartha and
Hermann Hesse’s biography become the main source to analyse. Since the
hypothesis in the study was aiming at Siddhartha and Hesse’s spirituality,
Historical and biographical approach was suitable to the writer to find
significance of author’s spirituality value life, especially the experiences and
personalities which were reflected in his main character, Siddhartha. The real
events of Hesse’s life and its context from historical background were analyzed
with theory of Eastern spirituality. The theory applied in the data to explore
significance of the representation from the Eastern spirituality point of view.
The analysis of the thesis was patterned by following the guide line from
problem formulation and suitable approach to the study.
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CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
A. The Characteristics of Siddhartha
A character is the important thing in the part of the fiction. There are
several characters in Siddharta, such as Siddhartha, Govinda, Vasudeva, and
Kamala. Some of them are classified as a major and a minor character. In this
thesis, the writer focuses on Siddhartha as the main character to be analysed.
In order to analyse a character deeply, Murphy states nine methods to
analyse characteristics which are the personal description, speech, past life,
character as seen by the other characters, conversation of other characters, direct
comment of the author, character’s reaction to various situations and events,
thoughts, and mannerism (1972 : 160-173). The writer uses some theories above
that will be applied to understand the main character in Siddhartha. In first part,
the major character is analysed in more detail. Some quotations are used to
support the study. These are the characteristics that can be seen in Siddhartha:
a. Smart
Siddhartha was a smart child and a good learner. Since young age,
Siddhartha grasped many religious scripture such as Rig Veda and Sama Veda.
Even though he was a Brahmin student, he had been told to be qualified as the
future Brahmin teacher. “Joy leapt in his father's heart for his son who was quick
to learn, thirsty for knowledge; he saw him growing up to become great wise man
and priest, a prince among the Brahmans.” (1951: 5).
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“He loved everything Siddhartha did and said and what he loved most was
his spirit, his transcendent, fiery thoughts, his ardent will, his high calling” (1951:
5). Govinda liked Sidhartha as a smart child because he had high spirit in learning.
Siddhartha passionately explored all the knowledge that he could learn.
b. Ambitious
As an ambitious young boy, Sidhartha always had some goals to be
achieved. As a young learner, he wanted to be free from every form of desire. It
seems that holy books that he learned from Brahmin tradition had a great impact
on the young Siddhartha. To liberate himself from surface world Sidhartha should
be empty of thirst, wish, dream, joy and sorrow, the things that are related to
worldliness.
A goal stood before Siddhartha, a single goal: to become empty,
empty of thirst, empty of wishing, empty of dreams, empty of joy and
sorrow. Dead to himself, not to be a self any more, to find tranquillity with
an emptied heard, to be open to miracles in unselfish thoughts, that was his
goal (1951: 12).
One day, Sidhartha started to silence himself from his senses and his
memory. He experienced another dimension of life so that he perceived thousand
forms of animals, plants, and other things. Finally, Sidhartha succeeded to
experience his journey until he woke up as a normal human being.
He could escape from the cycle, where the end of the causes, where
an eternity without suffering began. He killed his senses, he killed his
memory, he slipped out of his self into thousands of other forms, was an
animal, was carrion, was stone, was wood, was water, and awoke every
time to find his old self again, sun shone or moon, was his self again,
turned round in the cycle, felt thirst, overcame the thirst, felt new thirst
(1951: 13).
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Sidhartha main goal was actually to be free from self or identity he took
upon. He was able only to deceive it because by when stopping doing spiritual
practices, identities were back again to his mind. However, the young Siddhartha
did not give up to the circular motion of his life. Siddhartha’s ambitions revealed
from his acts and accomplishments.
Sidhartha is hard learner type of person. He was very ambitious to
get what he wanted. Day by day, he learned to be non-self although it led
back to himself in the end. “These and other ways he learned to go, a
thousand times he left his self, for hours and days he remained in the non-
self. But though the ways led away from the self, their end nevertheless
always led back to the self” (1951: 13).
“It was the self, I wanted to free myself from, which I sought to
overcome. But I was not able to overcome it, could only deceive it, could
only flee from it, only hide from it” (1951: 29).
c. Diligent
Siddhartha also had diligent characteristic. When he was already an adult,
he was fasting in most of the days. Not only did he pay attention to the scriptures
carefully, Siddhartha also went to several spiritual practices from Brahmin
tradition. He was fasted until his thighs and cheeks were waning. “He ate only
once a day, and never something cooked. He fasted for fifteen days. He fasted for
twenty-eight days. The flesh waned from his thighs and cheeks” (1951: 12).
On another day, Siddhartha burned himself directly under the rays of the
sun. The teaching of Samana took him deep into severe penances. He also stood
up when the rain came up. He tried to not feel any cold in his entire body anymore
until he found composure.
Silently, Siddhartha exposed himself to burning rays of the sun
directly above, glowing with pain, glowing with thirst... Silently, he stood
there in the rainy season, from his hair the water was dripping over
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freezing shoulders, over freezing hips and legs, and the penitent stood
there, until he could not feel the cold in his shoulders and legs any more,
until they were silent, until they were quiet (1951: 12).
Again, Sidhartha learned to crawl between thorns. He kept up to be
strong, unmoved, till there was no blood flowed from his bodies. Silently,
he cowered in the thorny bushes, blood dripped from the burning skin,
from festering wounds dripped pus, and Siddhartha stayed rigidly, stayed
motionless, until no blood flowed any more, until nothing stung any more,
until nothing burned any more (1951: 13).
d. Critical
Siddhartha’s mind never stopped doubting and questioning. He was a
sceptical person who was always curious for what has been taught to him.
Siddhartha at one moment doubted whether sacrifices in religious rituals
determined future happiness. He also found that every text he learned never
contained any idea as how to experience peace within himself. Later, these
matters drove him to seek for an answer through journeys with his friend,
Govinda.
Dreams and restless thoughts came into his mind, flowing from the
water of the river, sparkling from the stars of the night, melting from the
beams of the sun, dreams came to him and a restlessness of the soul,
fuming from the sacrifices, breathing forth from the verses of the Rig-
Veda, being infused into him, drop by drop, from the teachings of the old
Brahmans (1951: 6).
When Sidhartha wanted to go to hermits together with Govinda, then he
started to ask himself about what life is. He thought about the creator of this world
which he sceptical about it. He carried those questions in his journey with his
fellow spiritual seekers. “Did the sacrifices give a happy fortune? And what about
the gods? Was it really Prajapati who had created the world? Was it not the
Atman, He, the only one, the singular one?” (1951: 6-7).
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e. Sarcastic
Sidhartha was sarcastic and many times mocked his friend, Govinda. It
occurred when they were arguing in Samanas’s place, whether they wanted to
continue living as Samana or attempted to see the wise man Gotama. Sidhartha
thought that learning among the Samanas was not satisfying because he did not
get what he wanted from Samana’s teachings. Siddhartha laughed when he
remembered how hard they strived in Samana’s spiritual practices as if the
training did not have any meaning.
You're mocking me. Mock me if you like, Siddhartha! But have
you not also developed a desire, an eagerness, to hear these teachings? At
this, Siddhartha laughed in his very own manner, in which his voice
assumed a touch of sadness and a touch of mockery (1951: 19).
f. Religious
“Often he spoke to himself from a Chandogya-Upanishad the words:
Truly, Brahman is satyam verily, he who knows such a thing, will enter the
heavenly world every day" (1951: 7). Since Siddhartha studied holly texts such as
Veda from the elders, his mind set was quite religious. He had a longing to seek
the source of creation which was called Atman.
His questions of life arose in his young age and by the time those thought
only multiplied. Becoming more confused after some time, Siddhartha frustrated
for not experiencing salvation for the answers in Brahmin path. He made a new
effort to seek the Atman by leaving his parents and joined a group of Samana.
“Now it is beginning, now Siddhartha is taking his own way, now his fate is
beginning to sprout, and with his, my own” (1951: 9).
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Sidhartha joined Samanas to follow his own fate on that path. Through the
journey, he did practice art of self-denial. Since went to methods and belief of the
Samana, Siddhartha and Govinda felt that it was suitable for them. Therefore, they
were able and enjoy lived with the group of Samana for many years.
In the evening of this day they caught up with ascetics, the skinny
Samanas, and offered them their companionship and obedience. They were
accepted (1951: 12).
g. Stubborn
Sidhartha was so stubborn when it came to his willing to explore. First
time he asked to join the Samana, Sidhartha’s father did not want him to go. At
that time, Sidhartha was so mean. He waited his father with arms folded, standing
there until his father agreed with him. He did not make any movement before he
had permission from his father.
Through the small window of the chamber he looked back inside,
and there he saw Siddhartha standing, his arms folded, not moving from
his spot (1951: 10).
He came back after an hour, he came back after two hours, looked
through the small window, saw Siddhartha standing, in the moon light, by
the light of the stars, in the darkness. And he came back hour after hour,
silently (1951: 10).
His stubborn characteristic can be seen by the other character, and thought.
Many teachings from Brahmin and Samana belief system were not suitable to
fulfil Siddharta’s thought process. Sidhartha went in Gotama’s place several
times. Again, he thought that Gotama’s teaching was not the best teaching for his
mind. Sidhartha would like to continue his seeking in order to reach his goal for
the rest of his life.
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This is what I have thought and realized, when I have heard the
teachings. This is why I am continuing my travels not to seek other, better
teachings, for I know there are none, but to depart from all teachings and
all teachers and to reach my goal by myself or to die (1951: 27).
h. Respectful
Sidhartha was a respectful disciple of many great teachers. He found
Gotama Buddha, the holy wise man he ever seen. Gotama was full of knowledge,
so that he has large group of followers along his journey. Siddhartha’s heart
bowed down to the holly man. Whenever Sidhartha met Gotama, he greeted
Gotama respectfully.
Then he happened to meet Gotama, the exalted one, and when he
greeted him with respect and the Buddha's glance was so full of kindness
and calm, the young man summoned his courage and asked the venerable
one for the permission to talk to him (1951: 25).
i. Thankful
Siddhartha’s other characteristics was thankful. Siddhartha was very
grateful to hear that near the forest there were Gotama’s group of followers passed
by. If supposed Siddhartha never heard about his followers passing by near his
place in the forest, he might not want to escape and leave his Samana companions.
Gotama’s wise words attracted him to go beyond Samana’s way of life and grasp
more awareness and clarity from Buddha himself. "Let us eat this fruit and wait
for the rest, oh Govinda! But this fruit, which we already now received thanks to
the Gotama, consisted in him calling us away from the Samanas!” (1951: 19)
j. Loving
Siddhartha had so much care for others. It can be seen as he treaed his son
very well when his wife, Kamala passed away. In the bank of the river
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accidentally Siddhartha found Kamala and his son Little Siddhartha. Although the
son never met him before, Siddhartha still loved his son very much. “Siddhartha
spared him and let him do as he pleased, he honored his mourning. Siddhartha
understood that his son did not know him, that he could not love him like a father”
(1951: 84).
At the past, his son lived with all his glamorous life style with his mother,
Kamala. Surprisingly, his mother died bitten by snake near the river, so that his
son did not know where to stay. He came to his father, but he hate to live there
because Siddhartha lived in poverty.
“He did not force him, he did many a chore for him, always picked the
best piece of the meal for him. Slowly, he hoped to win him over, by friendly
patience” (1951: 85). Siddhartha coddled his son so much. He let his son do
whatever he wants. Even though his son disliked the way they lived as a ferryman
with Sidhartha, the father accepted his son’s mad behaviour.
k. Forgiving
Siddhartha forgiving characteristics portrayed when he cared of his son
even though his son do not loved him. As time goes by, his son felt a huge
inconvenience living with Siddhartha. Little Siddhartha saw that Siddhartha live a
miserable life. He was bored with Siddhartha even though Siddartha answer his
mad act with kindness and friendliness.
He was bored by this father, who kept him prisoner here in this
miserable hut of his, he was bored by him, and for him to answer every
naughtiness with a smile, every insult with friendliness, every viciousness
with kindness, this very thing was the hated trick of this old sneak (1951:
88).
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l. Meditative
Old age brought Siddhartha meditativeness because he had been through
peak of his experiences. Near the river, Vasudeva told him to listen to the river to
hear answers for many questions he had been asked for many years. The
realization happened to Siddhartha when suddenly he understood the meaning of
syllable Om in relation with his life. Siddhartha was able to precipitate his life
experiences to the sense of oneness. He embraced peace out of his clarity of
perception.
Then said Siddhartha: "Isn't it so, oh friend, the river has many
voices, very many voices? Hasn't it the voice of a king, and of a warrior,
and of a bull, and of a bird of the night, and of a woman giving birth, and
of a sighing man, and a thousand other voices more?" (1951: 78).
"what word it speaks, when you succeed in hearing all of its ten
thousand voices at once?" Happily, Vasudeva's face was smiling, he bent
over to Siddhartha and spoke the holy Om into his ear. And this had been
the very thing which Siddhartha had also been hearing (1951: 78).
Govinda, his old friend who was the follower of Gotama since young age
begged for his help to enter the passage to the state of Nirvana. Siddhartha told
him to kiss his forehead to see what he grasped from life, so that Govinda see
peace as Siddhartha experience.
And, Govinda saw it like this, this smile of the mask, this smile of
oneness above the flowing forms, this smile of simultaneousness above the
thousand births and deaths, this smile of Siddhartha was precisely the
same, was precisely of the same kind as the quiet, delicate, impenetrable,
perhaps benevolent, perhaps mocking, wise, thousand-fold smile of
Gotama, the Buddha, as he had seen it himself with great respect a
hundred times. Like this, Govinda knew, the perfected ones are smiling
(1951: 106).
Govinda still stood for a little while bent over Siddhartha's quiet
face, which he had just kissed, which had just been the scene of all
manifesta- tions, all transformations, all existence. (1951: 106).
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The characteristics of Siddhartha in the novel are portrayed descriptively
by Hermann Hesse. The author mentioned characteristics of Siddhartha implicitly.
The characteristics can also be seen through other characters point of view. The
analysis found that there are at least thirteen characteristics in the main character
Siddhartha.
B. The Characteristics of Siddhartha which Represents Hesse’s Life
Siddhartha is one of many Hermann Hesse’s novel which contains a lot of
author’s experience in the story. In a way, the personal life of Hesse is reflected
through events occurred to the character in the novel. Based on the historical
background, the writer is able to collect the data from Hermann Hesse’s biography
to be compared with the main character Siddhartha.
The perspective of surface representation is seeing the author’s
representation in the story through the similarity of visible elements such as
appereances and life events. While the surface elements were visible from the
description and clearly exist within the story, the elements of depth was invisible
(1996: 81).
The discussion in this writing compares the characteristics of both
Siddhartha and Hermann Hesse which were excluding from the visible
description. Therefore, the characteristics of Siddhartha and Hesse which came
through the analysis of characterization and the context in historical and
biographical aproach is considered as representation of depth. The following
similarities focused to mental qualities of Siddhartha and Hermann Hesse.
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Siddhartha’s smart characteristic can be compared with Hesse’s
achievements in his career. Hesse’s first two books appeared in 1899. Six hundred
copies of his writing printed at his own expense. Giving up his job in a Basel
bookstore, Hesse is able to support himself through his writing (1973: 5).
According to the terms of Nobel Prize award, Hesse considered as the best
keeper of German spiritual heritage in contemporary literary work. Thomas Mann
as a German mate could see his spiritual awareness from his kinship with Hesse.
Martin Buber had similar respond to Hesse, which he also concerned to the crisis
of spirit in Western civilization. He greeted Hesse as one who preserves the value
and meaning of the human spirit (1973: 8).
Both Siddhartha and Hesse were stubborn person. Siddhartha’s stubborn
qualities can be seen when he was very mean to leave the Brahmanistic tradition
to join Samanas. Hesse was a smart student but he was so individualistic. He
escaped from school once and expelled to another school. It happened because he
had some kind of illness in his mentality since childhood.
Hesse ran away for twenty three hours, on March 7, 1892, and
following this escapade began to suffer from headaches and insomnia. On
May 7, he was withdrawn from Maulbronn and taken directly to Pastor
Christoph Blumhardt of Bad Boll for a cure. (www.gss.ucsb.edu/
projects/hesse/ life/ jennifer, par 7, 1996).
Hesse's early life was considered to be precocious, enthusiastic, and
rebellious. Young Hesse escaped from the school, but later he was found and
moved to the other school. Similar thing happened for many times. Here is the
following quotation from his father Johannes Hesse:
"Humiliating though it would be to us, I am nevertheless seriously
wondering if we should not put him into an institution or farm him out to
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strangers. We are too nervous and too weak for him ... He seems to have a
gift for everything." (www.gss.ucsb.edu/ projects/hesse/ life/ jennifer, par
4, 1996).
Once there was an opportunity to be cured by his friend Carl Jung. Hesse
had been through psychological analysis by Carl Jung. Oscar Seidlin was one to
analyse the sense of metaphysical anxiety in Hesse’s work. In his investigation, he
founded the mythical dimension of Hesse’s writing and its relationship between
Hesse and Jung.
Another similarity is that Hesse and Siddhartha were religious character.
Both of them were taught with strict religious education. Siddhartha was taught in
Brahman’s scholarly tradition. Siddhartha was learning Holy Scriptures from
Brahmanism and learned to practice rituals with Samanas. In the other hand,
Hesse’s childhood was influenced by Eastern culture, especially India. He was so
familiar with Indian scriptures. Hinduism was based on Vedas and Upanisadh and
many other holy texts. Meanwhile, Buddhism relies on Buddha’s teaching. Hesse
studied both religions as the common wisdom and tradition in India.
After left his parents for ten years, Hermann Hesse went back to India in
1904. He began to study Indian religious scripture such as Bhagavad Gita
which remind him of spiritual world in his childhood. At that time when
Hesse was 27, the Indian philosophy and belief system began to affect his
characteristic. Hesse realized that western philosophy, Schopenhauer, that
stated about maxim of world was reflected through human consciousness
has relation with Indian idea that the factual appearance of world is not
real or has a lot of illusory substance (2002:2).
According to Gunter Baumann in his essay, Hermann Hesse and India,
Hesse’s way of thinking was based on various ideas but mostly came from Indian
religion and philosophy. Hesse also admitted that Indian ideas have strong
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influence for his writing and work of art. Novel Siddhartha was considered as the
summary of his deep relation with Indian culture.
“Nevertheless Hesse himself always pointed out that the ways of
Indian thinking had strongly influenced his basic ideas and his work of art
and they were as important as Christianity and Taoism to him” (2002:2).
Hesse himself said the book was the fruit of "nearly twenty years of
familiarity with the thought of India and China.” (www.gss.ucsb.edu/
projects/hesse/ life/ jennifer, par 37, 1996).
The next similarity is Hesse’s and Siddhartha’s side as loving person.
Hesse’s first two books appeared in 1899. Hesse became widely known but his
works was rarely discussed. World War I brought large change in Hesse’s life. As
a German people in Switzerland, he worked for German internees through
newspaper and books.
World War 1 brought sharp change in Hesse’s fortunes. As a
German citizen living in Switzerland, he put himself at a service relief
work for German internees and prisoners of war, whom he nounced
pacifism, Hesse felt that the war was the ineviteable product of European
spiritual crisis. He shared Romain Rolland’s conviction that writers and
intellectuals should remain au-dessus de la melee in order to work toward
a new and cosmopolitan Europe of the spirit (1973: 5).
Herman Hesse pronounced himself as a pacifist in war issues. Hesse’s
compassion didn’t let him support the violence in the name of nationality. Even
though many critics came from the supporter of Germany, humanity in his soul
was never let him encourage the war propaganda propounded by his own nation.
These feelings prompted Hesse to write a series of articles on war
and politics that won him a few allies but ruined his reputation with the
generally conservative and nationalistic public that had bought his books
up to that time. Indignant book dealers notified Hesse that they would no
longer carry the writings of a coward and traitor (1973: 5).
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War was the inevitable outcome of European spiritual crisis. Hesse gained
few allies but also enemies because of his article which unsupportive to war and
politics at that time. His old friends were turning against him because they feared
of Hesse’s influence among the young Germans.
To compare the compassion of the author and the main character, it can be
seen how Siddhartha inclusively love the people around him. Whether a sage,
merchant, drunkard, or courtesan, they are all equal in Siddhartha’s eye. He never
look up or look down to anybody because the arise of humanity in his heart.
Siddhatha realized that anywhere he met any person, he should accept and love
the person as they naturally are.
“He did not force him, he did many a chore for him, always picked the best
piece of the meal for him. Slowly, he hoped to win him over, by friendly
patience” (1951: 85). His son, the little Siddhartha is the clearest example of
Siddhartha’s love to his surroundings. Even though his son was so rough to
Siddharha, he never treats the son with violence. Siddhartha was so patient and
really wanted his son to accept his parent’s condition to live without any wealth.
The other issue to compare is forgiving characteristics. Both Hesse and
Siddhartha was forgiving person. Some book dealers notified Hesse’s literary
work to be no longer carried and marked as writings of coward and traitor. Hesse
quotes from a typical communication he received at that era. “We hate writers,
even if they offer us an art that is tenfold mature, who try to make women out of
men, want to internationalize us and pacify us and make us shallow” (1973: 6).
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Major of his work were generally not available in Germany. The Journey
to The East after printed nine thousand copies was not released even after the war.
The discrimination to Hesse never let him respond in a violent way.
Hesse's call for peace was returned with alienation and hate. The
German press called him a "traitor" and a "wretch", things which needless
to say hurt Hesse very deeply. (www.gss.ucsb.edu/ projects/hesse/ life/
jennifer, par 31, 1996).
After that, we can look again to Siddhatha when he was rejected and
mocked by his son. The little Siddhatha was bored with his father because he was
always responding every single naughtiness with a smile, every insult with
friendliness, every viciousness with kindness. From these evidences, forgiving
qualities in Hesse and Siddhartha is connected to each other.
The next characteristic is meditative. Hermann Hesse meditativeness can
be seen through the novel Siddhartha. The main character Siddhartha journey was
merely his effort to turn inward and found the source of life by straight path and
also crooked path. Siddhartha went to both of them with such stillness or
awareness within him, which is considered as the flower of his meditativeness.
Hesse admitted to his friend that he once composed such fiction with the theme of
meditativeness. In 1923 shortly after publication of Siddhartha, Hesse wrote to
Rolland that none of his works had ever fallen into such a profound silence (1973:
7).
Images from his novels have shaped the consciousness of young
Americans in the sixties and early seventies and provided them with
signposts of orientation in a reality that ofter imitate his art (1973: 1).
Theodore Ziolkowski regarded Hermann Hesse’s influence on the young
American. Stephen Koch similarly said that even young generations adopted him
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as their spiritual leader. George Steiner gave impression on Hesse’s literary work,
“Hesse seems to offer ecstasy and transcendence on the easy-payment plan.”
(1973: 2). Hesse’s writings were considered as great inspirations to the people
because the ability to broaden human perspective in various dimensions of life.
The common reaction also came from Hesse’s colleague, Jeffrey L
Sammons. “The purity of Hesse’s high-mindness and character undoubtedly
accounts in part of his appeal to young American, who in literary matters have a
great opinion of quality they call sincerity (1973: 2).
American young generation which is interested in spirituality embraced
Hesse’s works as their encouragement towards their way of life. Ziolkowski noted
that Hesse “cult” was appraised by Time, Life, Look, The Saturday Review and
other popular cultures media.
After a fair amount of searching they finally discovered a simple
farmhouse in the village of Gaienhofen on the Untersee. It was a simple
life with a small amount of amenities. Yet at the time it was just what they
wanted, a private abode amid beautiful nature (www.gss.ucsb.edu/
projects/hesse/ life/ jennifer, par 22, 1996).
By comparing the characteristics of Siddhartha with Hesse’s real life, there
are a lot of similarities of both mental qualities which strengthen the indication of
Hermann Hesse representation in Siddhartha character. Beside the representation
of depth through the characteristics, there are some representation of surface by
comparing visible elements. The hipothesis of author’s representation is prooved,
therefore it is possible to explore about what are the representation in Siddhartha
signified.
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C. The Significance of Siddhartha to Represents Hesse’s Life
In this part, the writer would like to elaborate on the significance of the
whole representation of Hermann Hesse in Siddhartha character. In Context for
Criticism, Keesey stated that significance could be defined as the depth meaning
in a novel (1994: 7).
There are many fragments of the tradition in society shown throughout the
story, especially in the context of Indian spiritual tradition. Even though Hesse’s
birth place was in Germany, he did quite lot of gathering into the essence of
Indian spiritual teaching since his young age and relates his life with those
philosophies. However, he did not put aside Christianity as his religion.
The name of Siddhartha in this novel cannot be unconnected with the
theme of spirituality. Siddhartha is a Sanskrit personal name which means "he
who achieves his goal". Besides that fact, the spiritual paths in Siddhartha include
many signs of Indian spiritual world such as Brahman, Samana, and ordinary wise
ferryman Vasudeva.
Hesse’s representation in the story can be assumes as a longing to attain
the consciousness of Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha in his own way of
understanding. However, Hesse’s life was not simultaneously related to eastern
spiritual value. He probably drew the picture about how far he took an effort
relating his life with eastern spiritual values through Siddhartha fiction character.
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The next question that may arise from the analysis is about what kind of
knowledge or information Siddhartha story is trying to amplify to the readers.
Besides the perspective from Siddhartha’s name, there are some particular values
appear in Hermann Hesse’s representation in the novel. One of which is the
enlightenment of Siddhartha when he was listening to the river.
Enlightenment means everything that is worth knowing about life
has been known. That again means heightened state of awareness or a
heightened state of perception (2010: 42).
Mumon described enlightenment as the moment of total self-
oblivion, of knowing without knowing and seeing without seeing, in which
being is born out of nothingness (1974: 49).
Jaggi Vasudev in Enlightenment - Life the Way it is defined enlightenment
as the peak of awareness and perception. Yamada Mumon in Christianity Meets
Bhuddhism described enlightenment state as knowing or seeing what is beyond
physical or intellectual realm. Siddhartha and Hesse’s characteristics are
indicating their realization of perception above material world. Characteristics
such as forgiving, meditative and loving lead the character Siddhartha to perceive
the reality beyond the realm of the physical and intellectual. Hesse’s life events
and personality are proven to be in synchronized with what he portrayed in the
character Siddhartha.
If only one learns to keep one’s instinct of self-preservation just
within the body and not extend it to other aspects of life, every human
being in the planet will naturally be spiritual, will naturally get to his
Ultimate nature (2013: 50).
The book Life and Death in One Breath said that spiritual process
naturally functioned from within whenever one may put aside the human survival
instinct. Both Hermann Hesse and Siddhartha had one similar way to live outside
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41
the glorification of economy, politics and common modern life style at that time.
What signified from such way of life is considered as one human quality of
spiritual maturity.
Indian spirituality see that overly glorified material, mental or social
mechanism processes will not lead people to peace and solace of the inner state. It
stated that the nature of life gives human being a continuous longing for
something more. One form of spiritual practice of a person is to raise their
perception above the physical.
It raises your perception beyond the physical so that you can
experience that which is not physical. Only when you experience that
which is not physical, we can say you are spiritual. You will become
spiritual only when the realm of your experience transcends the physical
reality, and you begin experiencing that which is not physical (2010: 32).
The representation of Hesse is actually showing to the readers about
Hesse’s own perspective and idea of his spiritual seeking. To become enlightened,
human must constantly seek and broaden their perspective. Siddhartha and Hesse
life events might also signify the importance of spiritual seeking.
Hesse might grasp something from psycho analyses and journeys that he
did with his friends. The writer is not going to see the issue from the
psychological realm point of view. The thesis is rooted to Indian spiritual
philosophy as the core of Hermann Hesse’s representation in the story. Spiritual
values of Hesse and Siddhartha are still relevant in modern era.
Hesse was intensely drawn in his exploration to many places and solitary
works at home. His priority to get spiritually grown was shown through
Siddhartha’s continuous longing to find Atman or the source of creation within
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every being. Spiritual seeking became the priority of Siddhartha and Hesse even
though enlightenment has to be experienced and related continuously. Hesse was
aware of the issue so that he made the seeking as if that was a life time process.
One way of Hesse’s exploration was reflected as he chosen to stay in
village because he wanted to live close to the nature. He lived far from the town
crowded atmosphere even though it was easy for him to live glamorous life after
his success. The red line between spiritual processes and character’s personality
strengthen the hypotheses of Hesse’s spirituality.
In 1946, Hesse was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. In his
speech of thanks he said: "I feel united to you all, but primarily through the
fundamental notion that inspired the Nobel Foundation, the idea of the
supranationality and internationality of the spirit and its duty to serve not
war and destruction but peace and reconciliation" (www.gss.ucsb.edu/
projects/hesse/ life/ jennifer, par 48, 1996).
Spirituality also makes people to become more loving and compassionate
towards others. Hermann Hesse might get positive response if he joined the
propaganda of his nation in the time of war. In spite of that, Hesse chosen to
empowered love and compassion to young generations which was against the
nation’s interest. Humanity can be considered as part of spirituality because it
includes other as part of her or himself. Hesse’s works against the violence might
make some of writer partners angry, but he made clear statement about the right
thing to do.
“Relationships are a longing for inclusiveness, and if you approach
it as such and include the other as a part of yourself, then however they
are, whichever way they are, they will be just fine with you.” It is
inclusiveness that you are seeking in a relationship (2013: 23).
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Inclusiveness is one important aspect of Indian spirituality whether it
comes in form of affair, business, organization or another scheme. Therefore,
accepting others in order to reverberating love and compassion becomes utmost
necessary value to be maintained. To resist the war agenda that was propagated at
that time, Hesse must have brought his humanity beyond race, nationality, party
or religion. In parallel line with Hesse’s inclusiveness, Siddhartha character
experienced and accepted everything that came on his way. Especially, when
Siddhartha became ferryman, various people from caste, creed, profession,
religion became his passengers to deliver across the river.
Meditation means to know life beyond the limitations of the five
sense organs; to know life beyond the sphere of that which is physical; to
know life and experience it at the source, not at the surface (2010: 36).
The fundamental difference between prayer and meditation, or
dhyana, is that when you pray, you are making an attempt to speak with
God. So in all these years of speaking, you probably never allowed Him to
speak. You speak throughout the day, but at least for some time in a day,
allow Him to speak (2010: 37).
Meditation is one part of eastern spirituality’s uniqueness. The practice
became important aspect to be seen from Siddhartha and Hermann Hesse. In
Indian spiritual tradition, listening to the cosmic reality can be done through
meditation in whichever way. Siddhartha’s meditation technique might be
different from the reality in Hesse’s life events. However, the meditativeness
within Hermann Hesse can be seen from his stillness responding to the Western
spiritual crisis. Siddhartha that he created also contained meditation techniques
and its mystical theme.
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Meditative state is most potential dimension to seek peace and even
inspiration. How do crossing legs and sit with eyes closed may become the source
of peace may be questionable for the western society at that time. Even nowadays
making meditation as routine to common people is still a millennial goal.
If we look at the industry going on today, the top businesses are of lethal
weapon, liquor and pharmacy production. Considering the fact that the current
society of the world is still far from the peace and balance of emotion, meditation
theme in Siddhartha may become an encouragement to the readers.
When you experience the Divine within you, you definitely would
not have any need to belong to any group. You can just exist here as life.
Life is sufficient unto itself (2010: 27).
According to Indian spiritual philosophy, it is important to realize the
source of life that functions from within every being. In a constant meditativeness
state, the realization may happen to people in their daily activity. In a way the
only matter in life is the effort itself to be in tune with the source of creations,
while the possibility and impossibility are for the nature to decide.
Spiritual perspective sees that people need not to be worry about the
external situation which can be handled or not by human being. Both Siddhartha
and Hessse method to be in continuous meditativeness was to maintain their inner
dimension untouched by the external reality. Though Siddhartha was not get
enlightened by the wise man Gotama Buddha, young Siddhartha was grateful for
Gotama’s influence to evolve his perspective. Most events in Hesse’s novel
portrayed the main character in high emotional stability.
If you transcend your sense perception, naturally you feel and
experience everything as a part of yourself. Once you experience
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everything and everybody as a part of yourself. That is what spirituality
means. (2010: 29).
Oneness of the creations was becoming the ultimate icon of Hesse’s
representation in the novel. Siddhartha realized it by listening to the river, and
then he lived as ferryman. Hermann Hesse did journeys across the east to absorb
the organic intelligence of Indian spirituality. Experience of listening and
inclusively include others as part of himself became a one of Hesse’s nature.
Those methods of including existence as part of one self are considered as a way
to realize the spiritual value of oneness.
If you begin to experience everything as a part of yourself, then we
say you are spiritual. Today, modern science is proving to you beyond any
doubt, that the whole Existence is one energy. There is no doubt about it
anymore. The same energy is manifesting itself as mud; the same energy is
standing there as a tree. This is what even modern science says (2010: 27).
The spiritual person considered every reality of creations as her or his part.
The mind set of oneness becomes important if the person has large influence to
her or his surroundings. One may give positive impact to others a lot more easily
if they become aware and receptive wherever she or he does his works.
There is no question why Siddhartha or Hesse wanted to be in nature and
avoid the glorification of life in town. If they also realize the nature is also giving
energy to life surrounds it, then they must made a priority to be in touch with the
pure source of energy, whether in the side of river or village across the forest.
You root yourself in that dimension which is non-dual, which is the
source of creation. But being rooted in this, you play with dualities. Once
you are rooted in the non-dual and play with the dual, the dual has no
impact upon you. You can play with it and enjoy it whichever way you
like, but it doesn’t take toll on you (2006: 7).
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In From Creation to Creator Indian spiritual philosophy in the other hand
also embrace opposite side of oneself to works in the mechanism of life. Hesse
described the phenomenon in Siddhartha’s realization. In the beginning
Siddhartha can never settled with his way of life, whether as a Brahmin, Samana,
Buddha’s follower or wealthy merchant. In the end he got enlightened because of
Vasudeva’s suggestion to listen to river. The river made Siddhartha saw every part
of his life was actually not fragmented. The duality of here and there, then and
now vanishes when it came to his inner reality. Finally Siddhartha could embrace
every part of his life and lived a peaceful life by the river.
Everybody was talking about “I am doing all kinds of spiritual
sadhana, I want to go to heaven.” Gautama said “I don’t want to go to
heaven” because anyway I am beyond all suffering, wherever you put me,
this is how I will be. Anyway I have made myself in such a way that I
cannot suffer (2006: 13).
One of Gautama Buddha teaching is the state of inner liberation from
suffering. Hesse gave a picture of his method to free from worldly attachment by
Siddhartha decision to let the little Siddhartha go. Even though he gave the utmost
love and compassion to the son, Siddhartha still gave freedom and forgive his son
for whatever he did wrong to him. Similarly the country Hesse was born made
him disappointed because of mass destruction it created in World War. For
whatever reason, Hesse did his duty to the country in nonviolent way and did
campaigning against the war through the writing.
Indian spirituality uses lotus flower as a symbol for spiritual
processes, because once you live in the world of duality, filth is
unavoidable. If you are sincere with yourself, whichever way you step into
your mind, you cannot avoid filth (2006: 10).
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Lotus flower is a beautiful symbol in Indian spirituality. The plant that
rooted in the duality makes people embrace the filth of the reality and still
untouched. It transforms the mud to fragrance of the flower. When First World
War broke, some people could stay untouched by the hatred that spreaded through
nationality. Hesse was against the violent act of his nation even though many
Germany writers opposed his vision.
The Western spiritual crisis led the mental expansion of human being
expressed in the form of global conflicts. In the duality of violence and peace,
Hesse volunteered and assigned to the Prisoners of War Welfare Organization. He
encouraged people to see from the spiritual values of love and compassion.
Siddhartha’s fragment story also saw the limitation of material world. As a
material person Siddhartha went drunk in tavern and enjoyed gamble to spend his
wealth. Siddhartha could detach from it and accidentally got clarity of perspective
from Vasudeva the ferryman.
With those spiritual values, Hesse was also inspired western people to look
up to the eastern wisdom and philosophy. Hesse realized that physical or material
attainment that very rooted in western society was heading to disastrous
consequences such as global war. The representation through the character
Siddhartha offered Indian spirituality as an alternative way to live in harmony
with the nature and others. Therefore the novel Siddhartha at that time might
broaden the western perspective.
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
The thesis analyze the representation of Hermann Hesse in Siddhartha
through the main character of the novel. Besides the representation of Hesse, the
thesis also aims to discuss the significance of the author’s representation which
reflected through Siddhartha. Hesse representation can be proved by comparing
the characteristics of Hermann Hesse with the characteristics of Siddhartha. The
comparisons considered as the representation of depth because the data comes
from both of their mental qualities or personality.
Characteristics of Siddhartha were smart, and diligent if the character seen
from the perspective of his spirit of learning. He was also ambitious and
stubborn because of his focus towards his goal. Since young age Siddhartha was
very critical and never stopped questioning about the truth of life. To his friend
Govinda, he often sarcastic and mocked him through their spiritual journey.
Siddhartha and Govinda had through intense involvement to study holly texts and
spiritual practices which made them religious. Siddhartha was a respectful person
to whom he was learning. After some times learned from Brahmins, Samanas,
Gaotama Buddha, Siddhartha had good characteristics such as thankful, loving,
forgiving, and meditative.
Much of Siddhartha’s characteristics described implicitly by Hermann
Hesse. Besides the direct mentions of the characteristics, the story also stated
Siddhartha’s characteristics through his actions, dialogue, and others point of
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views. From those characteristics the writer compared to the real characteristics of
Hermann Hesse with historical and biographical approach.
Siddhartha and Hesse were smart. Nobel Prize award gave Hesse
recognition as the best keeper of German spiritual heritage in contemporary
literary work. Both of them was stubborn person. In his childhood Hesse expelled
from his school to study at another institution. They were also religious, especially
since early age Hesse was taught in strict religious education.
Both of them was a loving person. In the time of war in Europe, Hesse
amplified the message of peace and compassion to the young generation. Hesse
was a forgiving man like Siddhartha. Even though his literary work to be no
longer carried and marked as writings of coward and traitor after the World War I
ended, he still did forgive them. Both of them had meditative characteristics.
Siddhartha is portraying Hermann Hesse’s meditativeness and spirituality.
Stephen Koch said that young generation who read his works considered him as if
Hesse was spiritual leader. The similarities of Siddhartha and Hermann Hesse’s
prove the representation of the author in the novel Siddhartha.
Keesey stated that significance could be defined as the depth meaning in a
novel (1994: 7). The representation used Siddhartha character as the tool to give
picture to the readers about Hesse’s spirituality. Indian spiritual values became the
main perspective in the thesis.
Hesse tried to describe the importance of enlightenment which considered
as the peak of awareness and perception (2010: 42). Such perception beyond the
phisical or intelectual realm made Siddhartha and Hesse able to live outside the
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glorification of material, social and mental preservation. In order to experience the
enlightenment, Hesse gave picture of his own spiritual seeking through
Siddhartha fiction story.
Spirituality makes people to be more loving and compassionate towards
others. In the time of World War I, Hesse chosen to empowered love and
compassion to young generations which was against the nation’s interest.
Inclusiveness is one important aspect of spirituality, therefore accepting others in
order to reverberating love and compassion becomes utmost necessary value to be
maintained (2013: 23). To resist the war agenda that was propagated at that time,
Hesse have brought his humanity beyond race, nationality, party or religion.
Meditativeness within Hermann Hesse can be seen from his stillness
responding the Western spiritual crisis. Meditative state is most potential
dimension to look at life and experience it at the source, not at the surface (2010:
36). Oneness of the creations is also one spiritual value in Hesse’s
representation. The spiritual person considered every reality of creations as her or
his part (2010: 27). Hermann Hesse did journeys across the east to absorb the
organic intelligence of Indian spirituality.
Indian spiritual philosophy in the other hand also embraces duality of
oneself to works in the mechanism of life (2006: 7). Even though the World War I
was dissapointing him, Hesse still did his duty to the country while promoting
love and compasion in nonviolent way. The representation through the character
Siddhartha is able to broaden the western perspective to live in harmony with
Indian spirituality as an alternative wisdom and philosophy.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Sabarno, Melia Hapsari. “The Significance of Hermione Granger to Represent
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APPENDICES
1. Summary of Siddhartha
Siddhartha is the major character in the novel Siddhartha. He was smart
and handsome young boy who lived among from vedic tradition. He was the only
son of Brahmin. Everyone saw young Siddhartha would be a great Brahmin as his
father, yet Siddhartha was not satisfied by only accumulating vedic knowledge.
What he truly aimed for was finding Atman, the source of creation inside every
human being.
One day many Samanas visited his village. Samana is a group of ascetic
which fast and wander. Even though Siddhartha’s father didn’t give him
permission, Siddhartha and Govinda still wanted to go with a path of Samana.
Siddhartha wanted to find atman by following Samana’s traditions. Samana’s
methods lead Siddhartha and Govinda experiencing life as another life form
through mysticism. Because Siddhartha cannot go further to his goal, he asked
Govinda to go to another path.
Because they heard the news about wise man, they went to Gautama
Buddha. Govinda told him that Buddha is the one who has reached the liberation
with his all knowledge. Then, Govinda wanted to follow him. However,
Siddhartha didn’t get what he wanted. Siddhartha argued that Gautama’s
disciplines cannot reach enlightenment because it cannot be learnt but by personal
experiences.
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At the moment, Siddhartha know that he must found out the enlightenment
by himself. He left Gautama and Govinda. Then, he went to the city meet Kamala.
In the town, Siddhartha met Kamala, she was beautiful and rich with material life.
Siddhartha asked her to teach himself about materialism. Suddenly, she refused
him because Siddhartha didn’t have much money to pay Kamala. Siddhartha got a
job from Kamaswami the wealthy merchant, with Kamala’s help. Then,
Siddhartha became a trusted person of Kamaswami because Siddhartha was smart
and loyal with him. Therefore, Siddhartha got much money from Kamaswami and
very closed with Kamala. She taught him about art of love. He trapped in material
world that made him blind and posses with wealth and love. Finally he realized
that he just had fallen to suffering. Then he left town and Kamala including his
material life.
When he walked reach the bank of the river, he meet ferryman named
Vasudeva. Vasudeva was a kind man who help him and give him food, clothes,
and place to live. Vasudeva told him about the wisdom about river, Siddhartha
should heard the river that it revealed the peaceful and serenity. From the thing he
experienced, his life recovered and found out the serenity of his life.
Siddhartha met his son but he found out the misery of life that he cannot
change his son as what he wanted. Siddhartha was very desperate and he came to
the river. Then, he heard a great and unique sound “Om” that full of peacefulness.
This sound remained him about the unity of all the things begin with his life,
rejecting, suffering, and wisdom.
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