Abstract

Four novels of Hermann Hesse are analyzed in order to formulate the religious vision that characterized Hesse's life and works. Particular attention is placed on locating the biographical, cultural and philosophical influences that shaped Hesse's writings. The four elements that make up Hesse's religious vision are identified as rejection of external authority, the inner journey, the aesthetic realm, and the life of service. These four elements make up the framework of a constructed model that serves to illustrate Hesse's religious vision. The meaning of Hesse's religious vision for a modern definition of religion is examined. The result is a critical dialogue between a mind of the twentieth century and the evolving one(s) of the twenty first century, examining the boundaries and possibilities of a religious vision that fits within a modern context.